The Birthday Party

Play trailer

2:02

The Birthday Party

Aug 2026

1h 43m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

38%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

The story is set in the late 1970s somewhere in the Mediterranean, where Marcos Timoleon, an Aristotle Onassis-like tycoon, is throwing a lavish, extravagant birthday party for Sofia, his daughter and sole heiress, on his exclusive private island. The party is a perfect excuse for various people in his life to approach him with their own agendas. But Marcos, who is used to ruthlessly controlling everything and everyone around him at whatever cost, is also secretly plotting a big decision on his daughter's behalf. Sofia, however, has come to share some important news of her own. As guests start pouring in and night falls, the party grows rowdier and more decadent, while the inevitable clash between Marcos and Sofia reaches a heartbreaking climax.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Robert Daniels

RogerEbert.com

3h

1/4

Sometimes you see a movie so dull, it’s a struggle to string words together about it. "The Birthday Party," Miguel Ángel Jiménez’s meandering snooze fest, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival last year, is the prime example of one such movie.

Go to Full Review

Guy Lodge

Variety

08/12/2025

Brooding, glowering and sometimes even speak-singing his way through proceedings, Dafoe is rarely less than compelling; the same cannot be said, however, for the leaden film around him.

Go to Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

08/11/2025

3/5

This is a strong, confident picture that hits its measured stride early on. Its pace and style and language are dictated by a charismatic Dafoe; however, he gives the impression that this performance is not exactly a stretch for him.

Go to Full Review

Josh Davis

Pop Culture Leftovers

1d

Watching The Birthday Party often feels like watching a movie made before irony was invented.

Go to Full Review

Robert Denerstein

Denerstein Unleashed

1d

We’ve already seen too much wealth porn to be overwhelmed by the luxe surroundings of Marcos’ private island, and the drama that unfolds proves more dispiriting than illuminating, a dip into a toxic pool full of characters, none especially admirable.

Go to Full Review

Tim Stevens

MovieJawn

1d

The Birthday Party promises danger, excess, and depravity but leaves us standing around waiting for something to happen.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Miguel Ángel Jiménez

Director

Willem Dafoe

Marcos Timoleon

Vic Carmen Sonne

Sofia

Joe Cole

Journalist

Emma Suárez

Olivia

Carlos Cuevas

Actor

We Shall Not Be Moved

%

%

We Shall Not Be Moved

Watchlist

Sentimental Value

95%

94%

Sentimental Value

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Sentimental Value

Little Women

95%

92%

Little Women

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Little Women

Roma

96%

72%

Roma

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Roma

Sujo

93%

%

Sujo

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Birthday Party: Trailer 1

2:02

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

The story is set in the late 1970s somewhere in the Mediterranean, where Marcos Timoleon, an Aristotle Onassis-like tycoon, is throwing a lavish, extravagant birthday party for Sofia, his daughter and sole heiress, on his exclusive private island. The party is a perfect excuse for various people in his life to approach him with their own agendas. But Marcos, who is used to ruthlessly controlling everything and everyone around him at whatever cost, is also secretly plotting a big decision on his daughter's behalf. Sofia, however, has come to share some important news of her own. As guests start pouring in and night falls, the party grows rowdier and more decadent, while the inevitable clash between Marcos and Sofia reaches a heartbreaking climax.

Director: Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Producer: Giorgos Karnavas, Adria Mones, Erik Glijnis, Leontine Petit, Kurban Kassam
Screenwriter: Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Giorgos Karnavas, Nicos Panayotopoulos
Distributor: Quiver Distribution
Production Co: Heretic
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 14, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 14, 2026
Runtime: 1h 43m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings