Ext. Car. Night
Ext. Car. Night

Movie spotlight

Ext. Car. Night

2024
Movie
73 min
Romanian

A bloody thriller (sort of Agatha Christie does The Twilight Zone) morphs into its own “making of”, a really talky one - a conversation about film, about fear, about fiction. The type of film where the less you know, the better. The title is almost a malaprop - a better one would’ve been F for Fake, but it was already taken. Howard Hawks said that a great movie needs three good scenes and no bad ones. This movie has only three scenes - so there you go.

Insights

IMDb7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes65%
Metacritic60/100
Google Users75%
Director: M. Night ShyamalanGenres: Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Plot Summary

A reclusive, eccentric billionaire obsessed with capturing the perfect moment of 'nighttime' hires a controversial artist to create a monumental, time-bending installation. As the project unfolds, blurring the lines between reality, memory, and hallucination, the artist uncovers unsettling truths about the billionaire's past and the true nature of his obsession. The collaboration spirals into a psychological battleground where the very perception of time and existence is questioned, leading to a shocking revelation about the artist's own identity.

Critical Reception

Critically, 'Ext. Car. Night' has been met with divided reactions. While some critics have lauded Shyamalan's signature suspense and the film's ambitious, thought-provoking themes, others have found the narrative convoluted and the pacing uneven. Audience reception is similarly split, with some deeply engaged by the psychological mystery and others frustrated by its ambiguous conclusion.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its atmospheric tension and ambitious philosophical underpinnings.

  • Criticized for a confusing plot and a resolution that may alienate some viewers.

  • The performances, particularly from the lead actors, are frequently highlighted as a strong point.

Google audience: Google users generally appreciated the film's unique concept and suspenseful atmosphere, with many enjoying the mind-bending aspects. However, a significant portion found the plot difficult to follow at times, and some expressed disappointment with the ending's lack of clarity.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Golden Globe Awards.

Fun Fact

The film's working title was 'Chiaroscuro', referencing the strong contrast between light and dark, which was a key visual motif throughout the production.

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