The Sinners (2020) Poster

(2020)

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4/10
Dull
gab-6759922 February 2021
Started out ok and by the middle I was still into it but near the end it just dragged on and on. Like nails on a very long chalkboard. Actors were sexy and engaging but not memorable. Good try.
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5/10
Beautiful cinematography, great soundtrack, terrible script
dani_johnson20 May 2021
This film looks great, it's visually sumptuous, and the music is also brilliant and the story had an interesting premise but the script is awful. Riddled with plot holes, the "twists" make no sense, the plot takes a nose dive around 30 minutes in and it just doesn't get better from there. I am incredibly disappointed, honestly I'm amazed I watched the entire thing. I'll save you the time, don't bother. God awful. Pun intended.
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5/10
Sinful
Stanlee10722 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is like Mean Girls but played seriously like the Craft or Heathers. It has a good idea that a group of girls embody each of the seven deadly sins....

The problem I found was that only a few characters' backstory are shown leaving the rest of the girls a bit one dimensional. One of those girls writes about each members deadly sins but her diary is discovered and the rest of her group seeks to teach her a lesson.

Cue the clichéd outcome in which a meaningful lesson terms into something more serious than they could have planned...

However, in the aftermath one by one of the group are found dead/murdered. Who is the culprit? Can you guess before the final reveal? The ending is predictable and it is not bad, nor is it good.
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2/10
Great start, horrible finish
layofthelastsurvivor22 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The movie synopsis sounds super interesting but the movie is wildly different from it. The laziest thing you can do in a film is exposition dump. Still, I kind of digged it in this movie.

I have no complaints on the acting, the actors made it somewhat entertaining along with the cinematography that others have mentioned.

The problem is the damn plot. There's no suspense or scare factor. It's a drama with off screen deaths. It's twist is predictable, but thats not that bad. The story just doesn't make any sort of sense. Its all over the place. It just progressively gets more convoluted and dumb as it goes. They had a basic premise planned, girl gets scared and terrorized by her friends and dies, other girls start dying, girl comes back as murderer. Then they just slapped random crap onto it for whatever reason. Like unnecessary subplots that are just there.

It would have been totally fine to have her just scare them as some sort of ghost, just do easy creepy stuff like leaving roses places for them, leaving messages like the sins on the desk, anything remotely suspenseful. Then it's fine to have them disappear as long as there's a tiny bit of build up, but nope. Let's just have a random dude who happens to worship Satan and for some reason is like "oh this girl who is presumed dead is going to blackmail me? Well better help her kill these other girls then." Until he shoots her in the end, which he could have done at any moment. Side note, he's apparently a chemist as well as the mortician, because he has like paralyzing agents and chloroform for days.

It feels like a movie with every good part cut out of it and all the setup left in. Not to mention the sins aspect is just plopped in there and I'm pretty sure "death by chest gunshot" was not on the punishment list for sloth, but who cares I guess. I'm pretty sure I blinked and one of the girls died and I missed it, because one of them I genuinely don't know what happened to, but she was gone for the rest of the film.

If your looking for a TV quality drama with murder in the background, then you might like it. Story is still hot garbage, but the first 20-30mins are interesting at least before the disappointment starts.
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2/10
What a load of fluff
bangel33225 April 2021
I don't even know what to say...this film had an interesting concept and actually started off well. I really like the idea behind it....however it went downhill when the murders started and continued to dwindle. It became tacky and ridiculous and once the murderer was unmasked the whole film became one colossal joke. Very disappointing and a huge waste of my time.
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2/10
Idea better than the execution
wwejournalist28 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The premise of this film is actually a decent one; Mean Girls with a religious coat of paint, each of the seven girls representing one of the Deadly Sins.

The problem is this main thread, and how the girls reach their untimely demise supposedly relating to their specific sin (a la Seven) gets lost fairly quickly.

The film meanders along with long exposition scenes about characters that are barely relevant to the plot, while six of the seven girls remain paper thin in terms of personality and just exhibit their 'sinful' traits.

So paper thin in fact, that when the killings started to happen, there were times where it was hard to know which one had been bumped off, especially as a lot of the murders were barely even shown or explained.

By the end of the film we know 10x more about the Cop and the hippy woman who sells flowers than we do about SIX of the SEVEN MAIN CHARACTERS, how can that be right?

Great lengths are taken to build suspense around who the killer is, but it's obvious from the start who is behind it all due to a line in the opening dialogue of the film, so when the big 'reveal' comes, it's more of a 'meh' than a gasp.

Where the 10/10 ratings came from are beyond me, as I doubt anyone could objectively watch this film and think it was worthy of that score.

If I had to say anything positive about the whole thing it's that the cinematography is nice, and the music works well.

The rest is just dull, and not worth investing the 1hr 35 runtime, just watch Mean Girls again, I promise you'll enjoy it more.
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1/10
Disappointing
marie_nadine22 February 2021
Poorly developed script, weak plot, bad acting but decent cinematography. I suspect any of the 10 star reviews are from the director's family and friends. Terrible movie.
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1/10
Poor.
max_krop29 May 2021
Why would anyone spend money and effort on brilliant cinematography and creating an atmosphere but give no thought about story, plot and screenplay?
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6/10
Well shot and cast, but poorly executed
Top_Dawg_Critic20 February 2021
This is actress turned newb filmmaker Courtney Paige's first full length feature film (one prior short) as co-writer, producer, actor and director. For a newb filmmaker, she did well in every aspect except the writing - which blame also falls to her two other writers.

The story was cliched, clumsy and a convoluted mess riddled with plot and technical issues. The editing felt like it was put thru a shredder, then taped together quickly. It was confusing more than entertaining. Had the writers consulted a seasoned writer to fix up their screenplay, this could've been a hit, because all other filmmaking aspects were on point. Her directing was decent, considering she followed her own convoluted screenplay. Scores in B-films are usually loud, annoying, overbearing and unfitting, but this film's was actually great with some decent soundtracks. The cinematography was good, and the casting and performances were very impressive. Even the pacing was perfect for the comfortable 96 min runtime. As a new filmmaker, Paige certainly has a future ahead of her. I just wish out of the 3 writers, at least one of them would've got it right. Nevertheless, a decent watch if nothing better is on for her targeted audience of teens-tweens. Never mind the current five shill 10/10's of six current reviews, it's a very generous 6/10 from me.
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2/10
Dreadful awful terrible
traceytak20 May 2021
I can only assume the high point reviews are from people connected to this movie. The over acting sucked to the point of irritation. It tries very hard to be atmospheric and fails miserably. A lesbian relationship is thrown in with the intention to titillate a few adolescents, I presume, alongside the cliche sexy dressing up of a main teenage character but it's so obvious the director is just attempting to try and draw in the interest of youngsters who aren't watching it for the plot. Along with over zealous bible bashers (the over zealous is in the acting) it's just a miserable drawn out yawn. Not one character is likeable and it falls completely flat. It's a shame because films like this can easily ruin a young actors career.
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10/10
Just checked out this Fun New Movie - Enjoyed it!
lisa-42213 January 2024
Been wanting to see this movie for a while now. I enjoyed it. Felt like something that could have been turned into a fun teen series. Beautiful music, especially the song at the end when the credits roll. I liked the narration of the movie. Good writing. Was thinking the pastor may be the killer for a bit. Felt bad when the sheriff's character got killed :( cry cry. Esp since his character just learned he was going to be a father. I look forward to seeing what these writers/director/producers do next. Good job for a lower budget movie! Sad to see so many negative reviews on everyone's movies these days. Those people don't probably realize the hard work and effort that goes into making a movie!
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6/10
Great cast along with cinematography but lacks in scares and writing
corbinwest22 February 2021
For this movie I expected more scares considering this movie is claimed to be a horror but it is fairly bland. The ending is really cliché but the acting and cinematography saved this movie for me. This is a movie I wont remember in the next 2 weeks or so but I would recommend.
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2/10
Ugh! Another shallow, preachy, unimaginative plot trying to tick boxes to be liked.
terrextv10 April 2021
As a non-Christian and, what's the hip term now, ah, 'person of color', I balk at the vitriolic hate with which Christians are depicted in film. It becomes really hard to watch when anyone with a particular religious identity is portrayed as a paper-thin caricature, even if I disagree with their religious beliefs.

These movies are written and aimed at the modern 'liberal' who is very loud about their hate for white people and Christians, but timid as a mouse - and perhaps even complicit - in discrimination otherwise.

I reeeally tried to enjoy The Sinners but when something is created around writers' hate for a group of people instead of the love of telling a good story, it shows. Jut check your discrimination at the door and write decent stuff, guys.
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1/10
Another bad teen horror film
Bellamason7123 February 2021
Good attempt but predictable and boring.. some acting was good but most was over done by inexperienced teen girls. This may have been a sin of its own!
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1/10
Had no idea from start to finish what was going on
deedrala25 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Just watched a very bad Lifetime flick titled The Virgin Sinners and have no desire to waste even more time than I already did slogging through it to write a longer review than this. Courtney Paige needs to go to filmmaking school before attempting any more directing. The 10/10 reviewers here are either very young and gullible or her friends and relatives, or both.

I was so glad it was almost over at the 1:51 mark that I sighed with relief.

But I must point out one of the stupidest things before I end my review: the juvenile little puffy red horns headband that Grace wore to signify that her little party with the other six "Sins" would be the polar opposite of a religious bible study was too lame and laughable to be believed - and their supposedly shocking heathen meeting couldn't possibly have been more deathly boring. It fizzled out into nothing in the first few minutes after it began, even with the *scandalous lesbian kiss* right in front of the other girls! (eyeroll)

One of the 10/10 reviewers said this movie was meant for strictly a teens/tweens audience, but I disagree: after watching the convoluted, pointless, aimless, uninteresting, badly-directed mess, I'd say it was for masochistic bad movie lovers.

Grade F / 1 out of 10 (would be 0 if possible)
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1/10
Terrible
dywgywsn11 September 2021
Cinematography is actually good but the rest is utter trash including the acting. Blatantly sexualising school children. Why do we stand for this? So many holes in the plot, nothing is believable and none of the characters are likeable.
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2/10
Sin of Sloth
trentsebastianrodriguez9 December 2021
The Sinners does nothing unique for the murder mystery genre and nothing you don't expect it to. Boring to look at, boring characters, boring reveals. The laziness on display is impressive. If anybody had passion during this movie it must've been edited out. I give it a 2 not a 1 because it has a coherent plot and the cinematography doesn't hurt your eyes.

I would not recommend this film to anyone who's seen a murder mystery on tv, film or otherwise. Great for insomniacs though.
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4/10
They shoot but fall short.
jmbovan-47-16017321 November 2023
The main actors, the group of high school girls, do well with their roles and set the stage nicely for the story to unfold. Adult actors vary with a few giving some decent performances, but many of the rest feel like stock players. Production value is good. So it seems strange that the overall feel falls short, and the movie comes across partially as a amateur production.

Plotting is a combination of Mean Girls and Saved!, meaning a group of high school girls who "rule" the school and much religious fervor create more stress. The addition of religious prejudice, ignorance, and attempts at gender control through patriarchal stereotypes only adds to the emotional reactivity that is attempted to trigger viewers.

Ho hum. It's not bad at all. It's just not that good.
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10/10
Really good movie
lilithlovesroses16 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The movie was really good would recommend watching it.. The actors did really amazing. When all of the girls were dying Grace's emotion just showed how much she regretted her past choices . The plot twist when everyone finds out that Aubrey never actually went missing, faked her death and had coroner Earnest Feldman kill 5 out of 7 girls.
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5/10
No
l-heneghan30 May 2021
Great cinematography and shot well are you having a laugh , acting like a school play and shot like an MTV vid. No.
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2/10
I am very disappointed...
teodoramonika26 December 2021
2/10.

At the beginning he was very promising, he seemed to have a good story and it would be interesting, but soon that impression was spoiled. He was very boring. It lasts an hour and a half, it seemed like it lasted 3 hours. He had no plot and did not hold attention. All in all very bad.
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1/10
Total garbage, rookie egomaniac Director
nomadgreg-6898811 August 2023
... straight to audio is where this garbage should go!

This director was a complete psycho and flipped out on her Producer and was so bad at trying to Direct , the crew should have gotten an acting award for not laughing in her face every day of this laughable production.

She has an ego of James Cameron and the experience of your second cousin who shot your grandmothers ninety-five birthday celebration after eating mushrooms and drinking a fifth of vodka.

However if you have recently eaten some bad sushi, watching this is an excellent way of voiding your stomach and your bowels.

Total garbage and a massive waste of time.
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2/10
A Complete Waste of Time
blondeblue119 February 2022
Putrid, nonsensical, utterly boring. I found it impossible to stay awake watching this tripe. The 10-star reviews are from the crew's friends and family, or just stupid trolls. Garbage, don't bother.
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2/10
Part of this movie is missing
Big_Dumb_Animal20 December 2023
The movie started off pretty good and then it rushed through 30 minutes and ended. I'm pretty sure they ran out of money or time and just threw together an ending with a quick murder montage that made no sense. I'm also pretty sure they changed their mind about who the killer was supposed to be about 3 times.

Seriously, I was disappointed because it did start pit as a pretty decent movie but 45 minutes in it just made no sense. The town made no sense. Some of the characters made no sense. One of the actresses delivered all of her lines in snarky monotone. Another of the actresses was a 40 year old playing a teenager like an episode of 90210.
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10/10
Suspenseful!
slgonzales287423 February 2021
This movie did exactly what I wanted it to do, it kept me in suspense and wanting more. With each potential "suspect" entering a scene, I found myself trying to deduce whether or not he/she might be the killer. I thoroughly enjoyed guessing what might happen next and did not anticipate the surprise ending. I thought the main characters gave great performances and the Grace/Tori dynamic was also enjoyable. I would have watched another 30 mins to get more invested in the characters before they started "disappearing". LOVED the soundtrack! Excited to see what's next for director Courtney Paige.
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