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Drama thriller

The Perfection (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Perfection (2019) movie poster

The Perfection is a 2019 drama thriller directed by Richard Shepard, starring Allison Williams as Charlotte, Steven Weber and Alaina Huffman. It runs 1 hour 30 minutes and earned $11,769 worldwide. Critics gave it 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10.

IMDb rating
6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes
70%
worldwide gross
$11.8K
Echo Score
68
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The Perfection (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 30m (90 min)
Director
Richard Shepard
Genres
Drama , Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
Studio
Netflix
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Perfection About?

The premise of The Perfection without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A gifted musician haunted by a tragic past becomes entangled with a promising young student. Their intense focus on achieving musical excellence leads to a dangerous obsession. As their relationship intensifies, a web of secrets and revenge unfolds, threatening to consume them both.

The Perfection Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • revenge
  • vengeance
  • lesbian
  • musician
  • female musical prodigy
  • interracial lesbian sex
  • child rape
  • rape
  • child abuse
  • female musician
  • musical prodigy
  • severed hand
+38 more
  • cello
  • amputee
  • lesbian interest
  • lesbian sex
  • female protagonist
  • symphonic music
  • colleague colleague relationship
  • male frontal nudity
  • male nudity
  • star student
  • tied feet
  • rear nudity
  • rage
  • evil man
  • female vomiting
  • body in trunk
  • manipulative woman
  • rape and revenge
  • sapphic
  • female cellist
  • female nudity
  • rape cult
  • rapist
  • serial rapist
  • preventing a gang rape
  • killing a rapist
  • brutal revenge
  • drugged
  • gang rape attempt
  • hallucinating
  • cutting off one's hand
  • gaslighting
  • evil cult leader
  • rapist teacher
  • faked kidnapping
  • kidnapping
  • lesbian lovers
  • lesbian couple
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Cast & crew

The Perfection Cast & Characters

Allison Williams leads the cast as Charlotte, with Steven Weber as Anton and Alaina Huffman as Paloma. Directed by Richard Shepard; 14 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Richard Shepard

More films directed by Richard Shepard, best-rated first: The Matador, The Hunting Party, Dom Hemingway and Film Geek.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Perfection Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Perfection 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10. Our Echo Score gives it 68/100, strongest in sensory experience (75) and weakest in rewatch factor (55).

68 /100

The Perfection Echo Score Breakdown

The Perfection delivers a twist-driven thriller that balances style with uneven narrative cohesion. Critics and viewers note its homage to genre conventions and its bold narrative reversals, pointing to engaging shock value and moments of precision in direction. However, the film’s structural rewinds and abrupt tonal shifts occasionally disrupt character connection and pacing. Despite these uneven elements, the net impression is of a distinctly crafted chiller that rewards those seeking bold narrative twists.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 65

    Art & Craft in The Perfection showcases a stylish visual identity marred by occasional structural unevenness. The film’s homage to 1970s horror and sleek production design earn praise for their measured color palette and polished framing. However, repeated narrative rewinds and abrupt editing choices sometimes hinder visual continuity. Overall, the film’s craft remains vivid but inconsistent.

  • Character & Emotion 60

    In terms of Character & Emotion, The Perfection offers compelling performances offset by fluctuating depth. Allison Williams delivers a nuanced portrayal that maintains watchfulness and underlying tension, while supporting roles occasionally lack clear motivation. Viewers noted genuine chemistry in key interactions but found emotional connections undercut by abrupt tonal shifts. The result is a mixed emotional resonance.

  • Story & Flow 68

    When it comes to Story & Flow, The Perfection presents an original structure driven by unexpected reversals yet suffers from uneven pacing. Viewers praised the unpredictability and multiple twists that sustain engagement, while critics pointed out confusion arising from frequent narrative rewinds. The pacing disparities between the two halves occasionally disrupt momentum, producing a story that intrigues more than it coheres.

  • Sensory Experience 75

    In terms of Sensory Experience, The Perfection delivers an immersive audio-visual atmosphere marked by stark sound design and a tense, suspenseful score. The film’s visual style employs a restrained palette that heightens moments of body horror, and sound cues intensify abrupt shock sequences. The cohesive audiovisual elements contribute to a pronounced sense of unease throughout.

  • Rewatch Factor 55

    Regarding Rewatch Factor, The Perfection’s reliance on major twists yields diminishing returns after the initial viewing. While some viewers appreciate revisiting stylistic details and thematic echoes, the predictability of narrative reversals on repeat viewings reduces suspense and novelty. As a result, the film tends to offer engaging first impressions but limited lasting appeal for subsequent watches.

Plot

The Perfection Plot Summary

What happens in The Perfection from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Charlotte, a gifted cellist prodigy, was forced to set aside her musical training to care for her ailing mother. Following her mother’s passing, she reaches out to her former mentor, Anton, who now runs the esteemed Bachoff music school in Boston. He is currently in Shanghai with his wife, Paloma, and his assistants, Geoffrey and Theis. Ecstatic to reconnect with Charlotte, they invite her to join them in evaluating young cellists auditioning for a position at the school.

Full summary

The whole story of The Perfection, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Perfection Box Office

The Perfection grossed $11,769 worldwide.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$11.8K

International
$11.8K
Videos

The Perfection Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Perfection.

The Perfection | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Perfection?

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

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What musical instrument is central to the story?

Cars

Cars in The Perfection

9 cars on screen, including the 1993 GMC CV200 and the 2016 Honda Civic.

All 9 cars
  • 1993 GMC CV200 in The Perfection 1993 GMC CV200 Important role
  • 2016 Honda Civic in The Perfection 2016 Honda Civic Minor role
  • 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse W222 in The Perfection 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse W222 Minor role
  • 2015 Toyota Camry in The Perfection 2015 Toyota Camry Minor role
Details

The Perfection Also Known As

21 alternative titles, including “完美” and “The Perfɘction”.

Also known as
  • 完美
  • The Perfɘction
  • มือหนึ่ง
  • Совершенство
  • 퍼펙션
  • Η Τελειότητα
  • Безупречность
  • שלמות
  • Perfekcja
  • La perfección
  • A tökéletesség
  • La perfection
+9 more
  • A Perfeição
  • Съвършенството
  • Досконалість
  • 完美琴仇
  • パーフェクション
  • Dokonalost, სრულყოფილება
  • Hoàn Hảo
  • În căutarea perfecțiunii
  • Savršenstvo

Seen The Perfection?

FAQ

The Perfection FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Perfection, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Perfection?

The Perfection runs 1 hour 30 minutes (90 minutes).

When was The Perfection released?

The Perfection was released on May 24, 2019.

Who directed The Perfection?

The Perfection was directed by Richard Shepard.

More films by Richard Shepard

Who is in the cast of The Perfection?

The Perfection stars Allison Williams as Charlotte, Steven Weber as Anton and Alaina Huffman as Paloma, among 14 credited actors.

How much did The Perfection make at the box office?

The Perfection grossed $11,769 worldwide.

How is The Perfection rated?

The Perfection has 6.2/10 on IMDb, 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, 60 on Metacritic and 65% on TMDB.

Does The Perfection have a post-credit scene?

No. The Perfection has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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