Freak Show (film)


Freak Show is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Trudie Styler and written by Patrick J. Clifton and Beth Rigazio, based on the novel of the same name by James St. James. The film stars Alex Lawther, Abigail Breslin, AnnaSophia Robb, Ian Nelson, Celia Weston, Laverne Cox and Bette Midler.
The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 13, 2017. It was released on January 12, 2018, by IFC Films.

Cast

On October 2, 2015, it was announced that Trudie Styler would make her directorial debut with the young adult LGBT film Freak Show, based on the novel of same name by James St. James. Patrick J. Clifton and Beth Rigazio adapted the novel, while producers on the film would be Celine Rattray, Charlotte Ubben, and Styler through Maven Pictures along with Drew Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen's Flower Films, and Jeffrey Coulter and Bryan Rabin.
Principal photography on the film began on October 27, 2015 in New York City. Dan Romer composed the film's score.

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 13, 2017. Shortly after, IFC Films acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film. It was released on January 12, 2018.

Reception

, the film holds a 54% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 41 reviews with an average rating of 5.62/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Freak Show relies on engaging performances and obviously good intentions to cover for its clichéd story and uneven direction – and for some viewers, it may well be enough." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 54 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".