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critics consensus

Oppressively misanthropic and ineptly made, The Canyons serves as a sour footnote in Paul Schrader's career -- but it does feature some decent late-period work from Lindsay Lohan. Read critic reviews

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The Canyons Photos

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Movie Info

The discovery of an illicit love affair leads two young Angelenos on a violent, sexually charged tour through the dark side of human nature.
  • Rating:
    R (Brief Drug Use|A Bloody Crime Scene|Graphic Nudity|Language Throughout|Strong Sexual Content)
  • Genre:
    drama, mystery and thriller
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Paul Schrader
  • Producer:
    Braxton Pope
  • Writer:
    Bret Easton Ellis
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     limited
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $49.5K
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Post Empire Films

Cast & Crew

Lindsay Lohan
Tara
James Deen
Christian
Nolan Gerard Funk
Ryan
Gus Van Sant
Dr. Campbell
Amanda Brooks
Gina
Tenille Houston
Cynthia
Lauren Schacher
Caitlyn
Jarod Einsohn
Hoodie
Alex Ashbaugh
David
Paul Schrader
Director
Bret Easton Ellis
Screenwriter
Braxton Pope
Producer
John DeFazio
Cinematographer
Tim Silano
Film Editor
Brendan Canning
Original Music
Me and John
Original Music
Stephanie J. Gordon
Production Design
Blake Piertolungo
Art Director
Keely Crum
Costume Designer
Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for The Canyons

Five Favorite Films with Bret Easton Ellis
Critics Consensus: 2 Guns Shoots Wildly, But Its Stars Connect
View All

Critic Reviews for The Canyons

All Critics (95) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (75)

  • Bret Easton Ellis's screenplay is filled with the worst kind of tin-eared dialogue and situations that seldom rise above their soapish base instincts, and in the third act, he clearly just gives up and turns one of his characters into Patrick Bateman.

    June 19, 2016 | Full Review…

    Jason Bailey

    Flavorwire

  • With the pungent combination of a script from novelist Bret Easton Ellis, a performance by Lindsay Lohan and direction by Paul Schrader, The Canyons might have been a micro-budget sensation, but sadly it reeks of laziness.

    September 23, 2014 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Kate Muir

    Times (UK)

  • Merely confirms Schrader as an all-but spent force (it's been largely downhill since the dismal Dominion) and nails Bret Easton Ellis as a one-trick pony.

    May 11, 2014 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

    Mark Kermode

    Observer (UK)

  • Although the movie is flawed, [Lohan's] pretty terrific ...

    May 9, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Leslie Felperin

    Radio Times

  • The Canyons deserves a look.

    May 8, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Peter Bradshaw

    Guardian

  • Lindsay Lohan lights up the screen as a fallen starlet in Paul Schrader's much-maligned noir quickie.

    May 8, 2014 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

    David Jenkins

    Little White Lies
View All Critic Reviews (95)

Audience Reviews for The Canyons

  • May 07, 2014
    Apart from Lohan, almost everyone else in the cast is just lame (Deen should stay in porn) and has to deliver some ridiculous exposition amid an atmosphere of cheap soft-porn - and nothing can justify the combined talents of Schrader and Ellis leading to this pointless bore.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Jan 30, 2014
    Lindsay Lohan continues to flush her career down the toilet with the trashy, exploitation film The Canyons. Dealing with themes of sex, control, and obsession, the story follows a film producer and his girlfriend as they have sexual liaisons with others. Lohan stars opposite porn star James Deen, and they both give bland, uninteresting performances. And while stuff happens in the film, there's no real semblance of a plot. Despite its provocative nature, The Canyons is a mundane and pointless film.
    Dann M Super Reviewer
  • Jan 24, 2014
    I'm going to keep it short and sweet. The dialogue in The Canyons is cringe-worthy... the only thing I really could appreciate was the look + music. Out of all the cast I'll say that Lohan and Funk did alright. Whoever thought that this "story" was a good idea needs a reality check.
    Chris H Super Reviewer
  • Aug 06, 2013
    ** I was reading Entertainment Weekly this past weekend when I came across a review for "The Canyons". They gave it a B+ and I had never heard of it. Sunday evening I was looking for something to watch, came across it and figured I'd give it a chance. It stars Lindsay Lohan as a yoga instructor who has a volatile/crazy sexual relationship with a producer played by James Deen. He becomes obsessed when he thinks she is cheating on him and things escalate from there. It's a thriller, that offers no thrills, well except to see Lohan naked through a lot of the movie. This is basically a notch above softcore porn's you see late night on Cinemax. Lot of nudity, some sex, and a whole lot of bad acting. It does have one of the weirdest sex scenes I've ever seen in a movie, as a foursome. Lohan probably is the best thing about the movie here. but even she does horrible. Deen has 2 facial expressions, bored and a smirkish pout. Plus, the way the movie ends is pretty stupid. They probably could have done some cooler stuff with the way Deen's character goes crazier and crazier, but they don't. It's an hour and a half that drags a lot, just feels too slow. I give it 2 stars for Lohan's two best assets, but other than that this is a complete skip. If EW gives this a B+ I'd really hate to see what their version of an A is.
    Everett J Super Reviewer
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