The Handmaiden

R16

2016

144 mins

Directed by Park Chan-wook
96%
91%
Drama
Romance
Thriller

A cunning plan goes awry in this romantic thriller from director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy). A pickpocket posing as the new... More

A cunning plan goes awry in this romantic thriller from director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy). A pickpocket posing as the new maid of an heiress falls into an erotic relationship with her, derailing a conman's elaborate plan to rob her blind. In competition for the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival 2016.

"1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl (Sookee) is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress (Hideko) who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle (Kouzuki). But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until Sookee and Hideko discover some unexpected emotions." (Cannes Film Festival)

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Where to watch The Handmaiden

The Handmaiden is available to stream in New Zealand now... More on Apple TV Store and AroVision and Prime Video Store.

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The Handmaiden | Ratings & Reviews

96_%226 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes® rating
91_%11,456 reviews
Audience score rating

"It’s sybaritic, cruel and luridly mesmerizing."

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Variety

"Mostly, this is smart, sumptuous and wonderfully indulgent."

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Time Out

"Shifts from being a lascivious slice of art-house delirium to a gruelling, dislikable contraption which meretriciously sells out its source material."

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The Telegraph

"The impotency of the male characters helps to counter this while the sex scenes themselves, as lovingly shot as they might be, feel vital to the narrative."

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