Oldboy

"Ask not why you were imprisoned. Ask why you were set free."

2013 1h 44m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 2,203

MysteryThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A man has only three and a half days and limited resources to discover why he was imprisoned in a nondescript room for 20 years without any explanation.

“Ask not why you were imprisoned. Ask why you were set free.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Josh Brolin
Joe Doucett
Elizabeth Olsen
Marie Sebastian
Sharlto Copley
Adrian Pryce
Samuel L. Jackson
Chaney
Michael Imperioli
Chucky
Pom Klementieff
Haeng-Bok
James Ransone
Dr. Tom Melby
Max Casella
James Prestley

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Mark Protosevich, Hwang Jo-yoon, Im Joon-hyung
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 17% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 13 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Spike Lee, shot by Sean Bobbitt. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Roque Baños. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Barry Alexander Brown shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen and Sharlto Copley carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Ask not why you were imprisoned. Ask why you were set free.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1321511 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Spike Lee directs. Sean Bobbitt behind the camera. Roque Baños scores. Barry Alexander Brown cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 17% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 13 years ago.
3Directed by Spike Lee, shot by Sean Bobbitt. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Roque Baños. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Barry Alexander Brown shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen and Sharlto Copley carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Ask not why you were imprisoned. Ask why you were set free.".
8IMDB entry: tt1321511 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Released under 11 different titles around the world.