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The Skeleton Key

  • 20052005
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
113K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,537
752
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Skeleton Key (2005)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:18
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Horror
  • Mystery

A hospice nurse working at a spooky New Orleans plantation home finds herself entangled in a mystery involving the house's dark past.A hospice nurse working at a spooky New Orleans plantation home finds herself entangled in a mystery involving the house's dark past.A hospice nurse working at a spooky New Orleans plantation home finds herself entangled in a mystery involving the house's dark past.

IMDb RATING
6.5/10
113K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,537
752
  • Director
    • Iain Softley
  • Writer
    • Ehren Kruger
  • Stars
    • Kate Hudson
    • Peter Sarsgaard
    • Joy Bryant
Top credits
  • Director
    • Iain Softley
  • Writer
    • Ehren Kruger
  • Stars
    • Kate Hudson
    • Peter Sarsgaard
    • Joy Bryant
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 443User reviews
    • 179Critic reviews
    • 47Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 nominations

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:18
    Official Trailer
    The Skeleton Key
    Clip 0:54
    The Skeleton Key

    Photos138

    Gena Rowlands and Kate Hudson in The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Kate Hudson and Peter Sarsgaard in The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Kate Hudson in The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Kate Hudson in The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Kate Hudson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Kate Hudson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Kate Hudson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Gena Rowlands and Kate Hudson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Chris Robinson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Chris Robinson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)
    Chris Robinson at an event for The Skeleton Key (2005)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kate Hudson
    Kate Hudson
    • Caroline Ellisas Caroline Ellis
    Peter Sarsgaard
    Peter Sarsgaard
    • Luke Marshallas Luke Marshall
    Joy Bryant
    Joy Bryant
    • Jillas Jill
    Gena Rowlands
    Gena Rowlands
    • Violet Devereauxas Violet Devereaux
    John Hurt
    John Hurt
    • Ben Devereauxas Ben Devereaux
    Maxine Barnett
    Maxine Barnett
    • Mama Cynthiaas Mama Cynthia
    Fahnlohnee R. Harris
    • Hallieas Hallie
    • (as Fahnlohnee Harris)
    Marion Zinser
    • Bayou Womanas Bayou Woman
    Deneen Tyler
    Deneen Tyler
    • Desk Nurseas Desk Nurse
    Ann Dalrymple
    Ann Dalrymple
    • C.N.A.as C.N.A.
    Trula M. Marcus
    • Nurse Trulaas Nurse Trula
    • (as Trula Marcus)
    Tonya Staten
    • Nurse Audreyas Nurse Audrey
    Thomas Uskali
    Thomas Uskali
    • Robertson Thorpeas Robertson Thorpe
    • (as Tom Uskali)
    Jen Apgar
    Jen Apgar
    • Madeleine Thorpeas Madeleine Thorpe
    Forrest Landis
    Forrest Landis
    • Martin Thorpeas Martin Thorpe
    Jamie Lee Redmon
    Jamie Lee Redmon
    • Grace Thorpeas Grace Thorpe
    Ronald McCall
    Ronald McCall
    • Papa Justifyas Papa Justify
    Jeryl Prescott
    Jeryl Prescott
    • Mama Cecileas Mama Cecile
    • (as Jeryl Prescott Sales)
    • Director
      • Iain Softley
    • Writer
      • Ehren Kruger
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Nurse Caroline Ellis quits her job to take care of elderly Ben Devereux who had a stroke and can't talk. When she gets to his house in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, she meets Ben's wife Violet, who acts suspicious and creepy. The family's lawyer, Luke Marshall, convinces Caroline to stay. She goes to the attic and finds a secret room there full of spells, hair, and bones used to practice Hoodoo, but Violet says she has never seen this secret room. Caroline wants to help Ben, thinking that Violet has put a spell on him. She knows Hoodoo can't hurt someone who doesn't believe in it. Can Caroline save Ben, or will she end up being the one who needs to be saved? —amberbrigman
    • southern gothic
    • hoodoo
    • bound and gagged
    • soul transference
    • surprise ending
    • 283 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • It can open any door.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Horror
      • Mystery
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, some partial nudity and thematic material
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The swamp behind the Devereaux house was created with CGI effects. The actual house used in this movie, Felicity Plantation, is situated inland in St. James Parish, and is surrounded by farmland. The fictional Devereaux house was situated in Terrebonne Parish, which is coastal and swampy.
    • Goofs
      Violet rides up in the elevator when all power is out.
    • Quotes

      Violet Devereaux: Child, I believe you broke my legs.

    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening credits.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Making of 'the Skeleton Key' (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      Do Whatcha Wanna
      Written by Keith Frazier, Philip Frazier and Kermit Ruffins

      Performed by ReBirth Brass Band (as The Rebirth Brass Band)

    User reviews443

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    "You see things... in the mirrors." - Violet Devereaux
    The latest psychological thriller, 'The Skeleton Key', follows a young hospice nurse taking care of a disturbed patient in the creepy and swampy bayous of Louisana. Kate Hudson plays the hospice nurse, Caroline. Caroline is a kind, brave but very curious caretaker which gets her into trouble sometimes. When her previous patient passes away, Caroline is sent for to live in a spooky farmhouse in the bayou, and take care of an old senile man, Ben Devereaux (John Hurt - Owning Mahoney) who is pretty much paralyzed from a stroke he recently had. Caroline lives in the house with Ben and his typical old Southern housewife, Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands - Hysterical Blindness). Everything seems to be going fine until some freaky stuff starts to happen that isn't easily explained. Violet later tells Caroline the house is haunted with the spirits of slave voodoo enthusiasts. And so starts the creepy tale that is the 'Skeleton Key' with great acting, cool visuals but a lagging screenplay.

    'The Skeleton Key' starts off very slow, then towards the middle picks up pace, then it's slow again, then it concludes with a fantastic and unpredictable ending. Part of the reason I'm giving 'The Skeleton Key' a good review, is because the ending makes up for the constant dragging of the film. It's not so much that the screenplay is bad, it's actually quite intriguing, it's just that a lot of time could have been shaved off of the final cut of 'The Skeleton Key' and it could have made as much sense and ultimately flow a hell of a lot more smoothly. I was expecting a scary movie out of 'The Skeleton Key', and got a movie that was just kind of creepy. If you want to see crazy and terrifying ghost visuals and blood 'The Skeleton Key' is definitely going to disappoint you, but if you want a film with more psychological terror then you'll enjoy 'The Skeleton Key'. Kate Hudson gives a solid performance as the lead Caroline. Gena Rowlands is fantastic as the o'le southern housewife, and John Hurt is great as the gorked out husband, who really only has one or two lines. The film also stars Peter Sarsgaard in a near-riveting performance as the small town's estate lawyer, who Kate Hudson becomes attracted to. The four leads work great together, and nobody in the film seems out of place.

    If you see 'The Skeleton Key' don't be expecting this year's 'Sixth Sense' because it's no where near that caliber. I think the less you expect out of 'The Skeleton Key' prior to seeing it, the more you will get out of it. Try not to fall asleep during the more tedious parts of the film, because you need to really pay close attention to the film to get the ending. Really, if it wasn't for the shock ending I wouldn't recommend 'The Skeleton Key', and with the shock ending I loosely recommend it for theaters. Grade: B- (screened at AMC Deer Valley 30, Phoenix, Arizona, 8/15/05)

    my ratings guide - A+ (absolutley flawless); A (a masterpiece, near-perfect); A- (excellent); B+ (great); B (very good); B- (good); C+ (a mixed bag); C (average); C- (disappointing); D+ (bad); D (very bad); D- (absolutley horrendous); F (not one redeeming quality in this hunk of Hollywood feces).
    helpful•59
    44
    • MichaelMargetis
    • Aug 16, 2005

    FAQ13

    • What is 'The Skeleton Key' about?
    • Is "The Skeleton Key" based on a book?
    • What is Hoodoo?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 12, 2005 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Chìa Khóa Xương Người
    • Filming locations
      • Bayou Gauche, Louisiana, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • ShadowCatcher Entertainment
      • Double Feature Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $43,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $47,907,715
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $16,057,945
      • Aug 14, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $93,983,911
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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