Freaks (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch
Freaks is a 2019 sci-fi thriller directed by Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky, starring Lexy Kolker as Chloe, Emile Hirsch and Matty Finochio. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes and earned $368,410 worldwide on a $2,000 budget. It earned 2 award nominations, including Best Independent Film Release at the Saturn Awards 2021. Critics gave it 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10. Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Fandango at Home Free, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 45m (105 min)
- Directors
- Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Well Go USA Entertainment
- Budget
- $2K
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Freaks About?
The premise of Freaks without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A shy and imaginative seven-year-old girl believes monstrous Abnormals threaten her world, keeping her hidden from view. When a mysterious stranger arrives, she is offered a chance to uncover the truth. Chloe’s journey leads her to a startling realization about the nature of reality and a danger that proves to be very real.
Freaks Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- father daughter relationship
- escape
- neighbor
- ice cream truck
- mind control
- invisibility
- grandfather granddaughter relationship
- little girl
- frozen time
- overprotective father
- supernatural power
- ice cream
+38 more Show fewer
- stopped time
- psychotronic film
- stabbed in the eye
- bleeding from the eyes
- time bubble
- bleeding from eyes
- title spoken by character
- one word title
- locked in
- superpower
- explosion
- mail slot
- children's book
- popup book
- swingset
- public park
- tv news
- shot in the chest
- shot to death
- slumber party
- duct taped to a chair
- reference to the los angeles dodgers
- mutant
- genetic abilities
- flying
- stabbed in the eye with a pen
- no opening credits
- no title at beginning
- bundle of money
- rehearsal
- flashlight
- motherless child
- wounded man
- gun
- safe
- news broadcast
- sheltered life
- psychic power
Where to Watch Freaks
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Fandango at Home Free, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 16
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Amazon Prime Video
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Amazon Prime Video with Ads
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Fandango at Home Free With ads
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Fawesome Free
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fuboTV
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Hoopla Free
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Kanopy Free
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Peacock Premium
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Peacock Premium Plus
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Plex With ads
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Plex Channel With ads
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Screambox Amazon Channel
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The Roku Channel With ads
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Tubi TV With ads
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Xumo Play With ads
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YouTube Free With ads
Freaks Cast & Characters
Lexy Kolker leads the cast as Chloe, with Emile Hirsch as Dad and Matty Finochio as Steven Reed. Directed by Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky; 14 actors are credited in all.
- Co-director Adam B. Stein
- Co-director Zach Lipovsky
- Lexy Kolker as Chloe
-
Emile Hirsch as Dad -
Matty Finochio as Steven Reed - Ava Telek as Harper Reed
Also Starring in Freaks
· 10 more- Bruce Dern Grandpa
- Michelle Harrison Nancy Reed
- Grace Park Agent Ray
- Aleks Paunovic Robert Kraigen
- Amanda Crew Mom
- RJ Fetherstonhaugh Police Officer
- Kwesi Ameyaw News Host
- Dean Redman ADF Captain
- Dakota Daulby Executioner
- Aria Birch Mean Girl
Freaks Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Freaks 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10. Our Echo Score gives it 70/100, strongest in character & emotion (80) and weakest in rewatch factor (60).
Freaks Echo Score Breakdown
Freaks exhibits an ambitious blend of genre elements that balance inventive concept with uneven execution. While its narrative approach and character performances often engage, the pacing and visual presentation fluctuate in consistency. Viewers respond positively to its subversive undercurrents and strong emotional moments, but some structural and technical shortcomings limit its overall impact. Ultimately, Freaks presents a thought-provoking premise with enough strengths to recommend, tempered by occasional lapses that prevent it from reaching higher acclaim.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 65
In terms of art & craft, Freaks delivers moments of striking visual detail and purposeful composition, though production limitations emerge in its modest effects and occasional rough execution. Direction exhibits clear vision in many scenes, but inconsistencies in technical polish and execution prevent sustained immersion. Overall, the craft oscillates between inspired framing and budgetary constraints that slightly hinder cohesion.
- Character & Emotion 80
When it comes to character & emotion, Freaks benefits from compelling performances, particularly from its leads, whose interactions convey genuine warmth and tension. The film successfully explores parental dynamics and a child’s perspective with emotional nuance. Despite sporadic underdevelopment in secondary roles, the central relationship remains the driving force, imbuing the narrative with lasting resonance.
- Story & Flow 70
In terms of story & flow, Freaks offers an original premise that unfolds with occasional suspense and inventive turns. The pacing alternates between measured slow burns and more dynamic revelations, resulting in uneven momentum. Narrative clarity occasionally suffers under ambitious thematic aims, yet the film’s core concepts and gradual escalation maintain viewer interest enough to deliver a largely engaging arc.
- Sensory Experience 65
Regarding sensory experience, Freaks features an evocative score and purposeful sound design that heighten its hallucinatory atmosphere. Visual style fluctuates between impactful framing and resource-constrained effects, occasionally undermining immersion. While certain sequences display strong cohesion of audio and imagery, other moments reveal budgetary limitations. Altogether, the sensory palette contributes memorable highs amid some technical unevenness.
- Rewatch Factor 60
As for rewatch factor, Freaks combines intriguing thematic depth with character-driven moments that invite reflection on subsequent viewings. While structural unevenness and modest production value may limit repeated enjoyment for some, the film’s subversive ideas and emotional core offer lasting appeal. On balance, it retains sufficient originality to reward revisits.
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IMDb 6.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 88% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 86%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 63 Metascore
User score 7.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 68% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.1 /5
36 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.3 /5
See on Movie Insider
Freaks Plot Summary
What happens in Freaks from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Seven-year-old Chloe Lewis, Lexy Kolker, has spent her entire life inside a dilapidated house, forbidden to step outside by her father Henry, Emile Hirsch who warns that “the bad men” will harm them if she ever tries to leave. Chloe longs for the outside world and for a maternal figure she never knew, Mary, while Henry trains her in social graces so she can one day blend in with the neighboring Reed family.
From the shadows, Chloe notices unsettling signs—Henry bleeding from his eyes after fits and visions of a woman in her closet. She learns about abnormals, people with extraordinary abilities who are hunted by the government’s Abnormal Defense Force (ADF) and kept in a facility beneath Madoc Mountain.
Full summary
The whole story of Freaks, scene by scene
Freaks Box Office & Budget
Freaks grossed $368,410 worldwide on a $2,000 budget. $276,591 came from the US and Canada and $91,819 (25%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$368.4K
- US & Canada
- $276.6K
- International
- $91.8K
- Budget
- $2K
Freaks Awards & Nominations
Freaks earned 2 award nominations, including Best Independent Film Release at the Saturn Awards 2021.
2 nominations1 ceremony
-
Saturn Awards 2021 2 nominations- Nominated Best Independent Film Release
- Nominated Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Film – Lexy Kolker
Freaks Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Freaks.
How Well Do You Know Freaks?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the young protagonist who has been kept inside her house her entire life?
Cars in Freaks
9 cars on screen, including the Grumman-Olson Kurbmaster and the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu.
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Grumman-Olson Kurbmaster Main role -
2006 Chevrolet Malibu Minor role -
2015 Dodge Charger Pursuit Minor role -
2016 Lenco BearCat Replica Minor role
Freaks Also Known As
19 alternative titles, including “Другите” and “Město podivínů”.
- Also known as
-
- Другите
- Město podivínů
- Иные
- Наказе
- 怪胎
- Szörnyszülöttek
- Aberrações
- Различните
- מוזרים
- 프릭스
- Odmieńcy
- Freaks - Sie sehen aus wie wir
+7 more Show fewer
- Kỳ Quái
- 怪胎世界
- คนกลายพันธุ์
- Почвари
- FREAKS フリークス 能力者たち
- Keistuoliai
- Ciudații
Seen Freaks?
Movies Like Freaks
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Freaky, Freaks of Nature and Freaked.
Freaks FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and awards of Freaks, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Freaks?
Freaks runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).
When was Freaks released?
Freaks was released on September 13, 2019.
Who directed Freaks?
Freaks was directed by Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky.
More films by Adam B. Stein Who is in the cast of Freaks?
Freaks stars Lexy Kolker as Chloe, Emile Hirsch as Dad and Matty Finochio as Steven Reed, among 14 credited actors.
Where can I watch Freaks?
In the US, Freaks is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home Free and Fawesome and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did Freaks make at the box office?
Freaks grossed $368,410 worldwide ($276,591 domestic, $91,819 international) on a budget of $2,000.
How is Freaks rated?
Freaks has 6.7/10 on IMDb, 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 63 on Metacritic and 68% on TMDB.
Was Freaks nominated for any awards?
Freaks received 2 nominations across 1 ceremony.
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