Poster for The East

The East

2013, Mystery & thriller/Adventure, 1h 56m

149 Reviews 10,000+ Ratings

critics consensus

Tense, thoughtful, and deftly paced, The East is a political thriller that never loses sight of the human element. Read critic reviews

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The East Photos

Alexander Skarsgård as Benji in "The East." photo 1

Alexander Skarsgård as Benji and Brit Marling as Sarah in "The East." photo 2

Ellen Page as Izzy and Alexander Skarsgård as Benji in "The East." photo 3

Alexander Skarsgard as Benji and Brit Marling as Sarah in "The East." photo 4

Brit Marling as Sarah and Shiloh Fernandez as Luca in "The East." photo 5

Julia Ormond as Paige WIlliams in "The East." photo 6

Alexander Skarsgård as Benji and Ellen Page as Izzy in "The East." photo 7

Brit Marling as Sarah in "The East." photo 8

Alexander Skarsgård as Benji in "The East." photo 9

Ellen Page as Izzy in "The East." photo 10

(L-R) Brit Marling as Sarah, Toby Kebbell as Docand and Alexander Skarsgård as Benji in "The East." photo 11

Ellen Page as Izzy and Alexander Skarsgård as Benji in "The East." photo 12

(L-R) Ellen Page as Izzy and Brit Marling as Sarah in "The East." photo 13

Alexander Skarsgård as Benji in "The East." photo 14

A scene from "The East." photo 15

Ellen Page as Izzy and Alexander Skarsgård as Benji in "The East." photo 16

A scene from "The East." photo 17

Brit Marling as Sarah in "The East." photo 18

Brit Marling as Sarah in "The East." photo 19

The East (2013) photo 20

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Movie Info

Sarah (Brit Marling), an undercover agent at a private intelligence firm, is hired to infiltrate the East, an ecoterrorism cell targeting companies that pollute the environment. Though one (Elliot Page) of the group's hardcore members is suspicious of her, Sarah manages to win over Benji (Alexander Skarsgård), the East's leader. However -- even as Sarah tries to maintain her cover -- she gains more sympathy for the group's cause while, increasingly, becoming drawn to Benji.

Rating:

PG-13 (Sexual Content|Partial Nudity|Some Disturbing Images|Thematic Elements|Violence)
Genre:

Mystery & thriller, Adventure, Drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

Zal Batmanglij
Producer:

Ridley Scott, Michael Costigan, Jocelyn Hayes Simpson, Brit Marling
Writer:

Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
Release Date (Theaters):

May 31, 2013 limited
Release Date (Streaming):

Sep 17, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA):

$2.3M
Runtime:

1h 56m
Distributor:

Fox Searchlight

Cast & Crew

Brit Marling
Sarah

Alexander Skarsgård

Alexander Skarsgård
Benji

Elliot Page
Izzy

Toby Kebbell
Doc

Shiloh Fernandez

Shiloh Fernandez
Luca

Julia Ormond
Paige

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for The East

Parental Guidance: <em>The Wizard of Oz: An IMAX 3-D Experience</em> and <em>Enough Said</em>

Parental Guidance: The Wizard of Oz: An IMAX 3-D Experience and Enough Said

Digital Multiplex: <em>Iron Man 3</em>, <em>The Bling Ring</em>, and More

Digital Multiplex: Iron Man 3, The Bling Ring, and More

Critics Consensus: <em>After Earth</em> is Lost in Space

Critics Consensus: After Earth is Lost in Space

Critic Reviews for The East

All Critics (149) | Top Critics (58) | Fresh (113) | Rotten (36)

Full Review… Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online

Full Review… Wesley Morris Grantland

Full Review… Scott Tobias The Dissolve

Full Review… Mark Kermode Observer (UK)

Full Review… Charlotte O'Sullivan London Evening Standard

Full Review… Martyn Conterio Little White Lies

Full Review… Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review

Full Review… Jordan M. Smith IONCINEMA.com

Full Review… Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia)

Full Review… Ryan Syrek The Reader (Omaha, NE)

Full Review… Patrick Gamble CineVue

Full Review… Terence Johnson AwardsCircuit.com

View All Critic Reviews (149)

Audience Reviews for The East

Jun 08, 2014

It's uneven, especially in its lack of real suspense and character motivations. But The East's moral ambiguity and complexity of ideas makes for an engaging thriller that the studio system should be making more often. Writer/actor Brit Marling is quickly developing into a force to be reckoned with, standing alongside a great supporting cast with wit and ferocity.

Super Reviewer
Feb 13, 2014

From writer Brit Marling comes the political thriller The East. A security agent for a private firm infiltrates a reclusive eco-terrorist group and must navigate the complicated life of a double agent. Unfortunately the paced is extremely slow and the aesthetic is rather dreary. Additionally, the eco-group is poorly developed and never really poses the danger or allure that it's supposed to. While there's some intrigue to the plot, The East is monotonous and ineffective.

Dann M Super Reviewer
Dec 24, 2013

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie and I am starting to admire Brit Marling as writer and actress. While some may love or hate the ending, I was thoroughly engaged in the story-line and I appreciate movies that leave me thinking afterwards.

Super Reviewer
Dec 09, 2013

Although it may drag out some scenes and have a few off moments, "The East" is a genuinely good thriller with very unique camerawork and a cast that you will not be able to turn away from. Every actor/actress in this film will engage you in the story and not want to stop watching. The first half of the film is far more interesting than the second half, but it's premise does not shy away from what it wants to get across. I think the biggest problem with the film is that it just chooses to end without any real resolution. I felt very letdown by the ending, but the characters stayed true, so that's fine I guess. This film has some scenes that really stood out to me, and that I would tell people to watch the film just to see those, the script is very well-written, and having Ridley Scott as one of your producers is a definite plus. I did not love this movie, but it is very very good!

KJ P Super Reviewer

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