Joe Flockhart Loud and Clear Reviews Mar 2, 2026 3.5/5

Like most of von Trier’s films, beneath the ugliness there is heart and compassion, so if you can get past the hideous aesthetic, you’ll be rewarded.

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian Aug 16, 2023 3/5

The Idiots works as a situationist provocation about a situationist provocation, though claiming the sentimental high ground at the end.

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Gilbert Adair Independent on Sunday Nov 27, 2017

Not everyone's cup of tea and, indeed, not a cup of tea at all, but one of those extremely rare films that aren't content to leave the cinema as they found it.

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Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Jul 16, 2009 B

The first Dogme film of enfant terrible Lars von Trier challenges viewers to reexamine their social mores and cinema habits of voyeurism and pleasure.

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Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid Nov 4, 2005

A worthy experiment.

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Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Sep 26, 2005 3/5

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Daniel M. Kimmel Worcester Telegram & Gazette Feb 11, 2005 1/5

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Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Feb 7, 2005 3/5

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Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com Dec 8, 2004 2.5/4

For all the Dogme-ordained restrictions to make the film feel "real," it ends up feeling more artificial.

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Mark Palermo The Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Oct 26, 2004 3/5

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Jake Euker F5 (Wichita, KS) Sep 17, 2004 3/5

The least you can say for it is that's it's truly brazen.

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Joshua Tanzer Offoffoff Jun 1, 2004 4/5

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Gregory Weinkauf New Times Aug 14, 2003 3/5

Not bad for a dogme movie.

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Chuck Rudolph Matinee Magazine Mar 7, 2002 short

Caustic, brutally funny, and more passionate than perhaps anything [Von Trier's] ever done.

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Jeremy Heilman MovieMartyr.com Mar 5, 2002 4/4

Von Trier has proven his self-proclamations of cinematic genius to be true.

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Jason Clark Matinee Magazine Feb 7, 2002 A-

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Kurt Dahlke Apollo Guide May 29, 2001 61/100

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Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times Feb 14, 2001 3.5/5

The Idiots suggests that if Danish iconoclast Lars von Trier's filmsare getting tougher, they're also continuing to reward the patient.

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Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Jan 1, 2000 A

Great filmmaking.

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Jeremiah Kipp Filmcritic.com Jan 1, 2000 5/5

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