Karen (2021) Poster

(I) (2021)

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3/10
watch for the luls
zombyxnerd7 September 2021
I couldn't stop laughing at the racially inappropriate comments by the character Karen. The movie is so bad from a serious point, but great for the laughs.
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2/10
Taryn Does Karen
veritybingo5 September 2021
Embarrassingly cringy effort to tackle important issues and the viral phenomenon of the Karen is seemingly a parody of itself.

Whether viewing this movie from the perspective of personal experience, social awareness, curiosity, or entertainment, you are unlikely to come away with anything but a missing hour and a half of your life.

Playing like a patchwork of high school level social essay and low rent exploitation, its only strength is Taryn Manning doing her utmost to bring her poorly written character to life.
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3/10
Feels like a Hilariously Bad 10-minute Comedy Skit that overstayed its Welcome.
jamericanbeauty16 September 2021
The writer clearly watches way too much ID Channel's Fear Thy Neighbor and ripped off Lakeview Terrance but mostly switched the races of the protagonist and antagonist. I'm Black and I cringed at the dialogue. In real life, no one talks, acts or reacts like this. No one! The absurdity of it all including the horror music every time "Karen" interacted with her new neighbors was hilarious I must admit. Corey Hardrict and Taryn Manning are both pretty good actors. Why did they take part in this poor production? The Good: 1. The leads playing the young couple/new neighbors are likeable and even had patience with their deranged neighbor. 2. The movie didn't make every White person evil - there's a kind rookie cop and "Karen's" children were sweet-natured. 3. There are two sweet moments between said children and the young couple/new neighbors. Unfortunately, those rare nice parts are overshadowed by the preachy agenda and forced storyline.
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1/10
A ha ha. the world is dumb
laragi15 September 2021
Why on earth does this film exist? I say that about many films BUT REALLY? It's just plain bad.
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1/10
Regurgitated racism.
stephenw-301803 September 2021
This film is painfully predictable and socially irrelevant. It simply furthers the idea that people in general (regardless of race) are shallow and dumb. Filmmakers often try to capitalize on current social events and do so with success...this in NOT one of those times.

The plot is childish and perpetuates divisive stereotypes and only serves to create a dark picture of cultural differences.

Don't waste your time on this trash.
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1/10
I want to see the producer
TheVictoriousV29 September 2021
I'm at a loss for how to explain a film like Karen so that it will read intelligibly a few years from now; so that future generations might fathom what the base concept even was. How would you explain how we got here, where it started, and how there are still people -- actual, sentient humans -- who try to argue that the name Karen is effectively an N-word-level "slur" now?

"Yeah so there was this era of online culture where we observed that quite many privileged middle-aged white women, usually named something like Karen, would throw gigantic fits over the faintest customer-service inconvenience, seeing 'blacks' in their neighborhood, being asked to wear a mask in the midst of a global pandemic (yes, this was an actual thing people got angry at), and whatever more left-leaning variants of this newfangled archetype got mad about. Then, because Hollywood is famously good at understanding Internet memes and not being remotely off-base, they made this film where... Wait, where are you going?"

In any case, we now have Karen: The Movie, plastering the words "CRAZY ENTITLED RACIST" all over its poster in the most effective display of subtlety since the Hiroshima bombing. It also uses "I want the manager" as its tagline - as in, it literally just puts the reference there and doesn't make it sound like, oh, an actual tagline

The script isn't much cleverer, dolling out played-out reference after played-out reference like someone took a bunch of Karen tweets, listed them, and wrote a Get Out wannabe around it. It might explain why some of these Karen-isms appear in the places they do. The movie is Pretty Sure™ that the Karen archetype likes to summon "the manager" or whatever, but has her say the famous line when she's warning a group of black restaurant patrons to keep it down, lest she alert the owner of the establishment.

In reality, the Karen usually inquires about the manager when she's mad at THE STAFF or the "poor" service provided (the scene might have worked if a waitress had refused to toss out the pesky black people and thus prompted Karen to call for the manager). This idea for a movie would've been galactically idiotic even if the filmmakers actually knew their "Karen" anecdotes inside and out. As it stands, this is a fundamentally idiotic idea, executed sloppily by people wanting to cash in on Internet trends and/or the popularity of Jordan Peele - whose films are both scarier and more (intentionally) funny than this. I don't know if these guys have ever seen a real Karen scenario play out themselves, or heard humans speak for that matter.

Like this wasn't embarrassing enough to anyone who actually understands meme culture, IMDb claims that this is the "third" film to ever (like, literally ever) be based around Internet memes. The trivia section reads: "This is the third movie based on a meme, with titles such as Smiley (2012), and Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever (2014)." (Yes that's where the sentence ends.)

First of all: f-ck you for reminding me of (A) the fact that someone made a Grumpy Cat movie, and (B) that painful transitionary period where we all had to accept that names like Tobuscus and Shane Dawson can now appear in actual film credits. Secondly, is it really so hard to look up films like Feels Good Man (now also known as the more marketable Pepe the Frog), which may be the most thorough and relevant "meme movie" ever made and certainly the most in-tune?

What about movies like Cuck, or TFW NO GF? And what of such web-savvy masterpieces as Ralph Breaks the Internet and Space Jam: A New Legacy, if those even count as films at this point? What even ARE movies now? What have you maniacs done?
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1/10
Absolutely horrible
b_ramayah4 September 2021
A poor, poor attempt at copying Lakeview Terrace. Acting was atrocious.

Please do not waste 1+ hours of your life watching this movie.
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1/10
Cash grab on a meme that the producers don't understand
kuner-590294 September 2021
The Karen meme is about self-entitled women who attempt to assert authority and freak out over petty little things. Indeed they will call the police over trash cans not picked up from the curb or skateboarders (they really hate those) or in general people having fun.

The Karen meme is not about race. Don't appropriate internet culture for your trashy movie.
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1/10
Terrible
elliott7821219 October 2021
Takes an issue worthy of discussion and illumination in film ad makes it a meme. There is no character development each scene is a piece of a reaction it's just awful. So many stereotypes, hot button words and no on depth reflection.
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2/10
Racism on display
bobbywell23 September 2021
Watched this movie because I heard about it in news. I thought "how bad can it be?" This movie puts on display true racism. Not of the "characters". But of the writer, director, producer and stars of this hate on film.

It's depressing not in what happens on screen- which is formulaic at best. But in the glimpse it gives into the roiling hate the entertainment industry has for a large part of the population.
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8/10
Reviews are bias. It's worth a watch
mickoell19 September 2021
It's pretty interesting that a lot of the reviews saying that the movie was horrible was given by white people. Yes it's an overdramatization but what movie isn't this isn't a real life saga it's definitely worth a watch and I don't think the reviews give it justice. Is it the best movie of all time no what is it necessary in this culture that we're in with privilege and marginalization yes.
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6/10
This movie is actually hilarious
DeadMansTrousers4 September 2021
Yes this is meant to be a home invasion horror/thriller film but if you view it as a comedy it's way more entertaining. This film takes every karen stereotype and meme and builds them into the main character. Turn off your brain and laugh at the karens because we all can relate.
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1/10
so you fight racisim with racisim then expect the pushback
MajBlade222 September 2021
We all know this movie not being made except its a white woman terrozing a black family. Frankly if I was a black family watching this movie I would boycott it it was an obvious money grab and infantiled the whole family. Another white proggressive thinking they know what black people want.
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2/10
Oh Dear God!
flowerstardust19792 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I've watched a lot of bad movies but this has to be high up there! The acting was painful. Did the cameraman not notice that Taryn Manning had lipstick on her teeth through most of the movie? Or was that part of the character? Just horrific in many ways. They could of made this a decent movie if they'd bothered trying. And no I'm not being a "Karen"

This movie is actually nothing to do with a "Karen" as the title may lead you to believe. It's actually about a horrible racist white woman. Everything this Karen does is because she hates black people. It was horrific to watch. Embarrassing.

Do yourself a favor and just don't. Even if you're bored. Don't.
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1/10
OMG BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR!!
pensacolacomputer30 December 2021
This should win an Oscar for best feel good movie of the year!!

It does nothing but bring people together and create a more happy and healthy society...

WOW....thank you BET for putting out such content!!! You are the best media company EVER!!

Please keep making such WONDERFUL movies like this!!!

Side note : They did not publish my original 1 star review of this movie, so I went the other route so that hopefully people see the sarcasm in my review. This is the worst movie of the year. Shame on i m db for hiding such reviews.
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1/10
Insipid to say the least
benzed14 September 2021
I am embarrassed to admit sitting through any of this race baiting stupidity.

Must have been plagiarized from an angry woke teenager brainwashed by Social and Hysteria News.

Watch it and squirm in your seat while losing brain cells.
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2/10
Worst movie ever!!
bmsyko5 September 2021
This movie was horrible and not for the reasons others have cited. Racism is the least of their worries. Poorly written, terrible acting. Comical scenes (raining constantly in the movie know one gets wet, gun vs sword, ridiculous plots) and at the end soap opera. This was a money grab but it's so bad should go straight to video.
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1/10
Taryn Manning kills this role. This movie is trash.
the_hawk85 September 2021
Let's start with Taryn Manning. She is amazing in this role. She just goes full throttle with this absolute horse do do she has to say.

The rest of the acting is atrocious. The plot is vague. Everything is heavy handed and over the top.

The filmmakers took a current social issue and looked at it through a lens of every stereotype imaginable. Then they just belittled it and just went all in on trying to be serious, but turned it into a joke.

If you watch with the intent of satire it becomes way better.
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1/10
Wow what a piece of crap
djeugene136 September 2021
It's so bad it really seems like it's making fun of the BLM movement. I hope "Karen's" career can somehow recover, I kind of enjoyed her in Orange is the New Black but it's gonna take build my trust again. .
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1/10
Just imagine...
pensacolacomputer30 December 2021
Just imagine the races reversed with this movie.....Imagine the outrage. Twitter would LOSE ITS MIND...and rightfully so. They would call for the writers to be fired...actors canceled...companies who released this banned...

I'm ashamed of BET for putting this monstrosity out.

Movies like this are why I left The Left. I will never go back and vote Dem again... EVER...I finally opened my eyes and saw the truth....and who was really pushing racism.

1/10 Horrible movie.
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"Bad" doesn't cover it but I can't seem to use any other word!
ceecee196229 September 2021
I've been a movie lover all my life yet this is the first time I've posted an IMDB review. I had to. I feel like I have a moral duty to warn all unsuspecting and potential viewers not to watch this film. I honestly think we're being played with because no green lit film could be this bad...and I KNOW what a bad film is but this film? Either it's a blatant attempt to insult us or mass gas light us. I had to resist the urge to check reviews after 20 mins in. After an hour (& having no way to reverse time) I had to cut my losses & submit to the experience; I was genuinely curious & just decided to just commit to seeing how much worse it was going to get. With every second it gets worse. It's far worse than ANY 'so bad it's good film' (which I've grown to love by the way!). Sorry I can't be more descriptive - I'm genuinely traumatised by the possible motives of the production team and what this might mean for film in general if this isn't a joke. Edit: I've changed my mind. Please, please PLEASE watch this film. Then maybe you'll understand my dilemma. It's worryingly bad folks....on ALL levels.....it's really really bad.
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8/10
Not perfect but not as bad as some of these reviews
legrand-walter55 September 2021
The ones that gave this one star and called this a comedy must be living under a rock! This movie has been spot on when it comes to these racist women that call the cops on black people for breathing! You think that or would like to think that we all get along and that racism doesn't exist! This movie isn't perfect but it's better than one, two or three stars! This is another movie to make America wake up and look in the mirror! I wish it would've played in the theaters also!
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7/10
Honesr Review from someone who's actually seen it.
alistairpmcduffie473 September 2021
So there's a lot of people eager to hate on this movie simply due to the nature of the story. While I admit this isn't a great film it's certainly not as bad as people are making it seem. The filmmaking is pretty solid, some shots look good. The acting is okay and overall the production was alright given its low budget.

Where the story does lose some traction is in how on the nose the story is. With that being said it draws inspiration of true events. So in other words if it looks ridiculous how do you think the individuals the film draws influence from look? So I will admit from a filmmaking aspect this isn't a great movie. But I have seen worse this year.
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2/10
yikes
nublingnoob4 September 2021
Wow, well gone are the days of using clever writing to subtley make a point on a social issue, this straight up spells everything out for you, its like when your younger and your parents try to be hip and use some word the kids use, these writers tried to be cool and actually use words like 'woke' as a compliment.

The acting and actors were actually quite good, and did a good job, they were just let down by the terrible writing

this film as you guessed, is quite racist and basically insults both white and black people.

I found this film to be hilarious, i was laughing at just how ridiculous some of the lines were, if you have some understanding of american politics and whats going on, and your not a lefty snowflake and basically a normal person, i think its worth a watch for the comedy value

If you are a lefty snowflake, this film confirms everything you think about white people and the police, im sure you will love it you intelligent, woke individual.
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3/10
Full of Black Stereotypes
teeone7 September 2021
A constant flood of Black stereotypes. Most of them are concentrated into the housewarming party scene.
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