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Drama horror film

We're All Going to the World's Fair (2022): Cast & Ratings

We're All Going to the World's Fair (2022) movie poster

We're All Going to the World's Fair is a 2022 drama horror film directed by Jane Schoenbrun, starring Anna Cobb as Casey and Michael Rogers. It runs 1 hour 26 minutes and earned $116,523 worldwide on a $15,000 budget. Critics gave it 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.4/10.

IMDb rating
5.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes
91%
worldwide gross
$116.5K
Echo Score
66
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We're All Going to the World's Fair (2022) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 26m (86 min)
Director
Jane Schoenbrun
Genres
Drama , Horror
Original language
English
Studio
Utopia
Budget
$15K
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is We're All Going to the World's Fair About?

The premise of We're All Going to the World's Fair without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

While spending late nights online, Casey discovers the World's Fair Challenge, a strange and unsettling role-playing game. Drawn into the game's promise of change, she begins documenting her experiences, which quickly become increasingly surreal. As the line between the digital world and reality blurs, a mysterious online presence takes notice of Casey's uploads, suggesting a disturbing connection between them.

We're All Going to the World's Fair Themes & Keywords

· 17 tags
  • bedroom
  • dark
  • cold
  • shuffle
  • coming of age
  • internet horror
  • shut in
  • evil video game
  • creepypasta
  • internet culture
  • candy cinema
  • teenager
+5 more
  • transgender
  • transgender filmmaker
  • transgender subtext
  • non binary director
  • hbo max
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Cast & crew

We're All Going to the World's Fair Cast & Characters

Anna Cobb leads the cast as Casey, with Michael Rogers. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun.

From the director

More from Jane Schoenbrun

More films directed by Jane Schoenbrun, best-rated first: I Saw the TV Glow, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and A Self-Induced Hallucination.

Full filmography
Ratings

We're All Going to the World's Fair Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave We're All Going to the World's Fair 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.4/10. Our Echo Score gives it 66/100, strongest in sensory experience (75) and weakest in story & flow (55).

66 /100

We're All Going to the World's Fair Echo Score Breakdown

In terms of overall impact, the film delivers a distinctive, internet‑centric horror experience that resonates with many viewers through its unsettling atmosphere and thoughtful exploration of isolation. Critics highlight its inventive visual language and emotional depth, while some audience members find the narrative meandering and the pacing sluggish. The contrast between strong critical appreciation and mixed viewer responses yields a nuanced reception that situates the film in a polarizing middle ground.

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

  • Art & Craft 70

    Artistic execution stands out through bold, surreal imagery and meticulous composition, creating a disquieting visual palette that reinforces the film’s themes. Critics commend the direction and cinematography for their inventive framing, while some viewers describe the visual pacing as uneven and the aesthetic as overly opaque, tempering the overall impression.

  • Character & Emotion 68

    Character work presents nuanced performances, particularly from the lead, who balances vulnerability with an unsettling presence. The emotional resonance of the protagonists’ isolation is highlighted as a strength, offering depth amid the digital backdrop. However, a segment of the audience finds the portrayals thin and the relational dynamics underdeveloped, leading to a mixed assessment.

  • Story & Flow 55

    Storytelling embraces an oblique structure, favoring atmosphere over conventional plot progression. The enigmatic narrative and surprise twist are praised for prompting reconsideration of reality versus fiction. Yet several viewers criticize the lack of clear causality and sluggish pacing, describing the storyline as fragmented and directionless, which diminishes engagement for those seeking a cohesive arc.

  • Sensory Experience 75

    The sensory dimension leverages an eerie soundscape and stark visual motifs to amplify the film’s unsettling tone. Ambient audio cues and a minimalist score reinforce the digital isolation depicted on screen. While critics hail this cohesion as immersive, some audience members perceive the sound and visual design as monotonous, reducing overall sensory impact for them.

  • Rewatch Factor 60

    The film’s lingering imagery and thematic ambiguity encourage repeat viewings for audiences intrigued by its cryptic layers. Its distinctive approach to online horror offers new insights upon subsequent analysis, which some viewers find rewarding. Conversely, those who perceive the pacing and narrative gaps as flaws are less inclined to revisit, leading to a moderate rewatch appeal.

Plot

We're All Going to the World's Fair Plot Summary

What happens in We're All Going to the World's Fair from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

” After dimming the lights in her room save for her desk lamp, she approaches the camera with a stuffed toy lemur, which she names “Poe,” declaring that both she and the toy will take on the challenge. ” She proceeds to turn off her lamp and, while staring intently into the camera, recites, “I want to go to the World’s Fair” three times, punctuating the ritual by piercing her finger with a pin and smearing her blood on the laptop screen. In a haunting manner, she watches a video filled with colorful strobe lights, her unblinking gaze fixed on the screen, before promising her viewers to give updates on any changes she might experience.

Full summary

The whole story of We're All Going to the World's Fair, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

We're All Going to the World's Fair Box Office & Budget

We're All Going to the World's Fair grossed $116,523 worldwide on a $15,000 budget, 7.8 times what it cost. $101,178 came from the US and Canada and $15,345 (13%) from the rest of the world.

2022 box office

Worldwide gross

$116.5K

7.8× its budget

US & Canada
$101.2K
International
$15.3K
Budget
$15K
US & Canada 87% Rest of the world 13%
Videos

We're All Going to the World's Fair Trailers & Videos

3 videos: 1 trailer, 1 clip and 1 featurette.

Official Trailer
  • Clip
  • Featurette Film Independent Presents: WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR Q&A with Jane Schoenbrun, Anna Cobb
Quiz

How Well Do You Know We're All Going to the World's Fair?

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 does Casey declare her intent to participate in?

Details

We're All Going to the World's Fair Also Known As

4 alternative titles, including “우리는 모두 월드 페어로 간다” and “Мы все идём на всемирную выставку”.

Also known as
  • 우리는 모두 월드 페어로 간다
  • Мы все идём на всемирную выставку
  • 我们都要去世界博览会
  • כולנו הולכים ליריד העולמי

Seen We're All Going to the World's Fair?

FAQ

We're All Going to the World's Fair FAQ: Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of We're All Going to the World's Fair, each answered in a sentence.

How long is We're All Going to the World's Fair?

We're All Going to the World's Fair runs 1 hour 26 minutes (86 minutes).

When was We're All Going to the World's Fair released?

We're All Going to the World's Fair was released on April 15, 2022.

Who directed We're All Going to the World's Fair?

We're All Going to the World's Fair was directed by Jane Schoenbrun.

More films by Jane Schoenbrun

Who is in the cast of We're All Going to the World's Fair?

We're All Going to the World's Fair stars Anna Cobb as Casey and Michael Rogers.

How much did We're All Going to the World's Fair make at the box office?

We're All Going to the World's Fair grossed $116,523 worldwide ($101,178 domestic, $15,345 international) on a budget of $15,000.

How is We're All Going to the World's Fair rated?

We're All Going to the World's Fair has 5.4/10 on IMDb, 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic and 54% on TMDB.

Does We're All Going to the World's Fair have a post-credit scene?

No. We're All Going to the World's Fair has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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