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The Discovery

Play trailer 1:35 Poster for The Discovery 2017 1h 50m Romance Sci-Fi Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
48% Tomatometer 64 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In the near future, due to a breakthrough scientific discovery by Dr. Thomas Harbor, there is now definitive proof of an afterlife. While countless people have chosen suicide to reset their existence, others try to decide what it all means. Among them is Dr. Harbor's son Will, who has arrived at his father's isolated compound with a mysterious young woman named Isla. There, they discover the strange acolytes who help Dr. Harbor with his experiments.

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The Discovery

The Discovery

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Critics Consensus

The Discovery looks fascinating on paper, but in spite of its thought-provoking premise and starry ensemble, it's a disappointing case of untapped potential.

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Critics Reviews

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Clarisse Loughrey Independent (UK) 04/05/2017
2/5
The Discovery is a film which poses far too many questions, but with no heart to search for the answers. Go to Full Review
Tom Huddleston Time Out 04/03/2017
2/5
More interested in metaphysical ponderings and so-called 'human truths' than in telling a convincing story. Go to Full Review
David Sims The Atlantic 03/31/2017
The Discovery poses a fascinating existential question to its audience, but doesn't quite manage to fill in a plot around it. Go to Full Review
Diana Tuova Spotlight on Film 08/09/2024
3/5
It helps if you regard The Discovery as a peculiar, low-key movie, and concentrate on Redford’s screen-presence and the ending. Go to Full Review
Jamie Healy Radio Times 05/02/2024
3/5
A noteworthy cast elevates this low-key sci-fi tale, which begins with the intriguing idea that life after death has been proved, with Robert Redford having made "the discovery". Go to Full Review
Nathan Mattise Ars Technica 07/27/2021
...luckily-unlike prior Netflix original films with stars like Paul Rudd and Ellen Page-this one merits watching... Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Andrew D @RT98000188 3d It's really not a bad movie, but not the movie I was hoping for, given such an interesting premise. The actors are all great, the writing's a little "meh", there's a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor, but it's more dark than comedic. It's more about a dysfunctional family and a semi-tacked-on romance than it is about any grand ideas. That's where it kind of lost me. So, a scientist (Redford) finds evidence that there's an afterlife, in a way reminiscent of the 90's movie "Flatliners". Millions of people kill themselves, as a result of this knowledge. But only like, 4 million, globally. 0.05% of the population. So the movie undercuts itself right there. Humanity's in no danger of self-extinction. It's more about the cult that springs up around this guy's work, and his two son's different reactions. It's about guilt, loss, and a dysfunctional family. Worth a watch just because all the actors are great. No huge ideas, though. See more Wendel L @BRZRKR Apr 30 Direção: Ok Atuação: Ok Roteiro: Ruim Caracterização: Ok Soundtrack: Ruim See more thiago S @Thiagostone Mar 9 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Igor S @Igor_Sena Feb 16 Great concept but poorly executed. I also get that the movie deals with heavy subjects, but when everything about it (story; characters; relationships; color pallette, etc) is depressing, it makes it hard to get through. I did, because i wanted to see if the director and the script could at least deliver the concept in a nice way, but in the end, it was convoluted and not very fleshed out. See more Robert B @abstracted_in_time Oct 29 A bit longer than necessary. Took two evenings to watch. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Sep 16 Romantic in 1 hour and 50 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Read all reviews
The Discovery

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the near future, due to a breakthrough scientific discovery by Dr. Thomas Harbor, there is now definitive proof of an afterlife. While countless people have chosen suicide to reset their existence, others try to decide what it all means. Among them is Dr. Harbor's son Will, who has arrived at his father's isolated compound with a mysterious young woman named Isla. There, they discover the strange acolytes who help Dr. Harbor with his experiments.
Director
Charlie McDowell
Producer
Alex Orlovsky, James D. Stern, Hunter Gray
Screenwriter
Justin Lader, Charlie McDowell
Production Co
Endgame Entertainment, Netflix, Verisimilitude
Genre
Romance, Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 50m