Holy Smoke

1999

1h 55m

IMDb RATING

5.7/10

214

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33 Images

Comedy

Drama

While on a journey of discovery in exotic India, beautiful young Ruth Barron falls under the influence of a charismatic religious guru. Her desperate parents then hire PJ Waters, a macho cult de-programmer who confronts Ruth in a remote desert hideaway. But PJ quickly learns that he's met his match in the sexy, intelligent and iron-willed Ruth.

Directors

Jane Campion

Writers

Jane Campion(screenplay by)

Anna Campion(screenplay by)

Stars

Kate Winslet

Harvey Keitel

Julie Hamilton

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Videos2

Trailer
Watch Holy Smoke (1999) Original Trailer [HD]
Teaser
Watch Holy Smoke - Trailer

Photos33

Top cast

Ruth Barron

PJ Waters

Mum

Yvonne

Robbie

Tim

Dad

Yanni

Puss

Bill-Bill

Prue

Stan

Fabio

Carol

Cult Video Reporter

Rahi

Chidaatma Baba

Directors

Jane Campion

Writers

Jane Campion(screenplay by)

Anna Campion(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

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User reviews1

Review

Featured review

6/10

**_The power of a whoa-man to turn even the most hardened male into a loaf of bread_** A young woman from Sydney (Kate Winslet) becomes a follower of a guru in Delhi, so her family hires a top deprogrammer (Harvey Keitel) to liberate her from the cult’s brainwashing, which is carried out at an isolated cabin in the Outback. "Holy Smoke" (1999) is similar to “The Piano” from six years prior (also starring Keitel), which isn’t surprising since it was made by the same writer/director. Both are adult-oriented drama/romances, but this one is set in the modern day and is just as much a quirky comedy. There are numerous highlights, including the charisma of the two stars, Kate’s voluptuousness (she was 22 during shooting, almost 23), the breathtaking scenery, the humor in which every Australian is goofy or eccentric, the beauty of Sophie Lee (Yvonne), insights on male/female relationships and the power of a beautiful woman. Unfortunately, I found the last act tedious; it needed reworked to make it more compelling. Also, are we to seriously believe that the woman from the first act, who swoons over a charismatic cult-leader in a patriarchal society, is the same one in the last act? _Why Sure!_ Lastly, the film flirts with interesting commentary on serious cult indoctrination, such as the Manson family, Koresh’s Branch Davidians and Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple, yet discards it for: Cult brainwashing, what cult brainwashing? I suppose the Campion sisters were shooting for amusing irony. The movie runs 1 hour, 55 minutes, and was shot in Sydney, Australia, and 1000 miles west in Hawker, Finders Ranges (the Outback scenes), which is located in southeast South Australia. The Indian sequences were done in New Delhi and Pushkar in north-central India. GRADE: B-

Wuchak07 Nov, 2023