IMDb RATING
5.7/10
5.1K
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In a politically divided America, a man struggles to make it through the Thanksgiving holiday without destroying his family.In a politically divided America, a man struggles to make it through the Thanksgiving holiday without destroying his family.In a politically divided America, a man struggles to make it through the Thanksgiving holiday without destroying his family.
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So here's an honest review ,, no politics , just the movie ,, which what the users need to read ,, if you wanna read politics go to the pages of FOX or CNN and fight there ..
The movie plot is genuine ,,, extreme and bold yet enjoyable .. for the thrill and drama the genre was satisfying ,, as for the comedy ,, it wasn't as i hoped for , but there were actually few funny enjoyable moments, but not laughable .. The screenplay is by Ike Barinholtz which is also the director and the lead ,, and i like the guy ,, he was hilarious in The Mindy Project, presenting that innocent spontaneous comedy , which sadly was lacking in here ,, but i think he's all grown up now "as an entertainer" so . the movie showed a bit of that intense on-edge comedy, but still wasn't "hilarious".
Anyway , as for the cast ,, beside Ike ,, i like Tiffany Haddish ,, this year is her year with 4 blockbuster movies and a series with Tracy Morgan ,, so she's doing good ,, the whole cast were good overall... John Cho was also funny is his few lines :D
Final thought,, These 1 star reviewers saying this is an anti trump propaganda ,, and trump wasn't even once mentioned, in fact they said in the end "the president house in North Carolina", so How did these reviewers know its about trump !! or is it because they believe that the only one would do such thing is trump ?! I don't know ;) This is a movie about a family thanksgiving mess... full-stop.
The movie plot is genuine ,,, extreme and bold yet enjoyable .. for the thrill and drama the genre was satisfying ,, as for the comedy ,, it wasn't as i hoped for , but there were actually few funny enjoyable moments, but not laughable .. The screenplay is by Ike Barinholtz which is also the director and the lead ,, and i like the guy ,, he was hilarious in The Mindy Project, presenting that innocent spontaneous comedy , which sadly was lacking in here ,, but i think he's all grown up now "as an entertainer" so . the movie showed a bit of that intense on-edge comedy, but still wasn't "hilarious".
Anyway , as for the cast ,, beside Ike ,, i like Tiffany Haddish ,, this year is her year with 4 blockbuster movies and a series with Tracy Morgan ,, so she's doing good ,, the whole cast were good overall... John Cho was also funny is his few lines :D
Final thought,, These 1 star reviewers saying this is an anti trump propaganda ,, and trump wasn't even once mentioned, in fact they said in the end "the president house in North Carolina", so How did these reviewers know its about trump !! or is it because they believe that the only one would do such thing is trump ?! I don't know ;) This is a movie about a family thanksgiving mess... full-stop.
I wasn't expecting a great deal from this, but was pleasantly surprised. I liked the cast, and in truth this lured me in more than the storyline. I was genuinely entertained, and for a political comedy it did well. We reflected on the similarity to Brexit, and let's be honest, we need a film that adds humour to the political divide. I felt it could have been more couple-led rather than the main male lead, as actually Christina Milan could have been so much more than a supporting role - more akin to date night / game night / lovebirds in terms of equal leading roles. Overall, enjoyable and not at all predictable.
Some films are not easily classified: Ike Barinholtz's The Oath is just such a puzzle. The prospect of seeing a comedic take on Thanksgiving with current liberal and conservative divisions in many families was tantalizing.
However, The Oath turns into a black comedy at best and bloody Straw Dogs home invasion at worst. Chris (Ike Barinholtz), a liberal, tries to understand why anyone would sign a government loyalty oath (Think Trump's National Loyalty Day, May 1) today in democratic USA. His brother, Pat (Jon Barinholtz) and most of his family, has signed, leading to Chris trying to avoid confrontations with little luck.
With two Citizens Protection Unit operatives arriving unannounced, the contentious Thanksgiving dinner turns into a bloody confrontation between these enforcers of the oath and the growingly isolated, liberal Chris.
For sure there are laughs at the extreme ends of the political spectrum, both sides evidencing ignorance and moved more by the movements themselves rather than deep-seated beliefs. Yet both sides are capable of cruelty and violence, and even Chris and his loving wife, Kai (Tiffany Haddish) are capable of turning on each other.
The animosities are made real by today's polarized politics, so that the absurdist humor can resonate in all its hyperbole. Although the ending should satisfy both sides, and for sure the liberals, nonetheless all sides should be able to fear the extremes to which the citizenry can go and embrace a humanism that doesn't force anyone to turn on family.
After all, it is Thanksgiving, and I feel confident your family will be kind and loving. It's the others you have to worry about.
This dark drama has touches of humor, but also, it's Straw Dogs for political extremists. The Oath is a surprisingly acidic commentary on our partisan culture today.
However, The Oath turns into a black comedy at best and bloody Straw Dogs home invasion at worst. Chris (Ike Barinholtz), a liberal, tries to understand why anyone would sign a government loyalty oath (Think Trump's National Loyalty Day, May 1) today in democratic USA. His brother, Pat (Jon Barinholtz) and most of his family, has signed, leading to Chris trying to avoid confrontations with little luck.
With two Citizens Protection Unit operatives arriving unannounced, the contentious Thanksgiving dinner turns into a bloody confrontation between these enforcers of the oath and the growingly isolated, liberal Chris.
For sure there are laughs at the extreme ends of the political spectrum, both sides evidencing ignorance and moved more by the movements themselves rather than deep-seated beliefs. Yet both sides are capable of cruelty and violence, and even Chris and his loving wife, Kai (Tiffany Haddish) are capable of turning on each other.
The animosities are made real by today's polarized politics, so that the absurdist humor can resonate in all its hyperbole. Although the ending should satisfy both sides, and for sure the liberals, nonetheless all sides should be able to fear the extremes to which the citizenry can go and embrace a humanism that doesn't force anyone to turn on family.
After all, it is Thanksgiving, and I feel confident your family will be kind and loving. It's the others you have to worry about.
This dark drama has touches of humor, but also, it's Straw Dogs for political extremists. The Oath is a surprisingly acidic commentary on our partisan culture today.
I just saw this for the first time, and wow. It's a totally plausible scenario for this year. It feels a little toothless, and the characters are a little too on the nose, but it's a quality movie and has it's fair share of laughs. Definitely worth a watch.
I thought this was pretty funny. It sorta slides in well with all the political turmoil that is currently taking place. Family gatherings are always a great place to find some dark humor. It's just those moments were you realise that you both love and yet can't believe you have a relationship with people that have such opposing ideas.
I would think that if you are sensitive to political views you may not want to watch this. It may just fire you up. If you don't let that stuff get to you and think it is about time to laugh at all the craziness going on all around us, pick it up.
I would think that if you are sensitive to political views you may not want to watch this. It may just fire you up. If you don't let that stuff get to you and think it is about time to laugh at all the craziness going on all around us, pick it up.
Did you know
- TriviaThe oath that is the basis for this movie's plot has several real precedents from U.S. history. In March 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed United States Executive Order 9835, which required U.S. government employees to swear that they were not members of any organizations that were deemed "subversive" and it authorized widespread investigations to search for "incriminating" details in government employees' pasts, including homosexuality. More commonly known as the "Truman Loyalty Order," it was largely driven by paranoia about the possibility of Soviet and other communist infiltration in government and other American institutions and is now seen as an early incident in the period known as the Red Scare. Another famous American loyalty oath was the Levering Act of 1950, a California state law that required every state employee to sign a statement attesting that they were not communists or members of any group that advocated the overthrow of the U.S. government. The University of California Board of Regents fired 31 professors (despite their tenured status) who refused to sign the oath on grounds of academic freedom and freedom of speech. The dismissals were eventually reversed by the California Supreme Court, but only after several years and lawsuits. As of 2018, several U.S. states still require their employees to sign loyalty oaths.
- GoofsWhen Chris and Alice are smoking a joint, neither inhales.
- How long is The Oath?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $401,463
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $29,077
- Oct 14, 2018
- Gross worldwide
- $403,852
- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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