The Impossible

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  • Opened December 21, 2012 (NY, LA; Expands Wide 01/04/13)
  • 1 hr 43 min
  • PG-13 | Disturbing Injury Images, Brief Nudity and Intense Realistic Disaster Seq

  • Parents: Common Sense Media says Iffy for 13+. More on child suitability

  • Maria (Naomi Watts), Henry (Ewan McGregor) and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds toward her. Based on a true story, THE IMPOSSIBLE is the unforgettable account of a family caught, with tens of thousands of strangers, in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. But the true-life terror is tempered by the unexpected displays of compassion, courage and simple kindness that Maria and her family encounter during the darkest hours of their lives. Both epic and intimate, devastating and uplifting, THE IMPOSSIBLE is a journey to the core of the human heart. Full synopsis

  • Cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast, Marta Etura, Sönke Möhring, Geraldine Chaplin, Ploy Jindachote, Jomjai Sae-limh "Maew", Johan Sundberg, Jan Sundberg
  • Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
  • Genres: Drama

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Fan Reviews

Must Go!
Heart-Wrenching!

by pedsarq

You should consider whether you're in the mood for a good cry or not before going to see this film. It's about the Tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004. A family of 5 get swept away and split apart by...

Must Go!
Heart-wrenching example of the Human Spirit

by Reel_Deal_Gal

I saw "Les Miserables" yesterday, and it didn't have near the emotional impact of this film. Literally, I sat in the theater for the full ten minutes of credits at the end just to compose myself, and...

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The Impossible Delivers

by travelbluesea

You understand (as much as is possible) what it felt like to be there. I felt each stab of debris as victims tossed around in the tsunami. Amazing. I went back and watched you-tube videos of the...

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Critic Reviews

100
The Hollywood Reporter
|

The Impossible is one of the most emotionally realistic disaster movies in recent memory -- and certainly one of the most frightening in its epic re-creation of the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Read full review

90
Wall Street Journal
| Joe Morgenstern

Yet it's not just the visuals that make the movie what it is, a thrilling, if also punishing, tale of heroic endurance. The Impossible, based on a true story, derives most of its impressive power from two remarkable performances: Naomi Watts as Maria, and Tom Holland as Lucas. Read full review

88
Rolling Stone
| Peter Travers

The go-for-broke intensity and emotional layering Watts brings to her role is an acting triumph. And McGregor matches her in a performance of ferocity and feeling. Read full review

88
Philadelphia Inquirer
| Steven Rea

Watts is extraordinary - she manages both the physical and emotional demands of the role, with soul-deep conviction. Read full review

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Photos

Samuel Joslin, Tom Holland, Oaklee Pendergast, Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in "The Impossible."