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The Birthday Party

Play trailer Poster for The Birthday Party 2026 1h 54m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 6 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Thomas, Nora and their teenage daughter Ida live on remote marshland. Social contact is limited, as they only have one neighbor, Cristina, an Italian painter. As the two households plan a surprise birthday party for Nora, strange disturbances begin to occur and unease rolls over the marsh.

Critics Reviews

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Beatrice Loayza Variety 1d
Like “Funny Games” if it were somehow more pointless, “The Birthday Party,” a rustic home invasion thriller by writer-director Léa Mysius, is a head-scratching letdown considering its cast... Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian 2d
3/5
...the tension is capably managed and Magimel is a gargoyle of menace. Go to Full Review Brian Tallerico RogerEbert.com 3d
There’s a different between a "slow burn" and a "no burn," and this one distinctly falls into the latter category, in part because Herzi delivers a shockingly flat performance Go to Full Review Nikki Baughan Screen International 2d
Lea Mysius’s third feature is a taut exploration of family, identity and betrayal, with a claustrophobic atmosphere and strong performances from Hafsia Herzi and Monica Bellucci. Go to Full Review Pete Hammond Deadline Hollywood Daily 3d
[Lee] Mysius keeps the suspense at a high pitch as the back story of Franck and his relationship to this family becomes clearer and more threatening. Go to Full Review Jack Hewitt Next Best Picture 3d
4/10
"The Birthday Party" feels like the product of sunk cost; an adaptation by virtue of a licensing purchase at the hands of breezy producers scanning the archives of Dua Lipa’s book club for something lean, mean, but not fulfilling. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Léa Mysius

Director

Hafsia Herzi

Actor

Benoît Magimel

Actor

Bastien Bouillon

Actor

Monica Bellucci

Actor

Tawba El Gharchi

Actor
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The Birthday Party

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Movie Info

Synopsis Thomas, Nora and their teenage daughter Ida live on remote marshland. Social contact is limited, as they only have one neighbor, Cristina, an Italian painter. As the two households plan a surprise birthday party for Nora, strange disturbances begin to occur and unease rolls over the marsh.
Director
Léa Mysius
Producer
Jean-Louis Livi, Marie-Ange Luciani
Screenwriter
Léa Mysius
Production Co
F Comme Film
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
French
Runtime
1h 54m