Open Your Eyes (Abre los Ojos) (1999)
90%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Director Alejandro Amenábar tackles some heady issues with finesse and clarity in Open Your Eyes, a gripping exploration of existentialism and the human spirit.
If you’re looking for a movie that will make you question reality and leave you feeling like you just went through a mind-bending experience, then Open Your Eyes is the film for you. Critics have called it everything from “thought-provoking” to “absorbing and haunting,” and even compared it to a collaboration between Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch. Sure, the script and direction may be a bit patchy, but the obsessive theme is gripping and the virtuoso style of director Alejandro Amenabar is something to be admired. So, open your eyes and get ready for a wild ride!
Production Company(ies)
Twentieth Century Fox, Gordon Company, Silver Pictures,
Distributor
Artisan Entertainment
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Madrid, Spain
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some strong sexuality, language and some violence
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 57m
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Language(s):Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 21, 2001
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Open Your Eyes, Eduardo Noriega, Penélope Cruz, Chete Lera, Fele Martínez, Najwa Nimri, Gerard Barray, Alejandro Amenábar, Fernando Bovaira, José Luis Cuerda, Mateo Gil, drama, R rating, Spanish language, existentialism, human spirit, psychological mystery, car accident, prison, some violence, some strong sexuality, language, Artisan Entertainment, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR, flat aspect ratio, $368.2K box office gross, reviewed by Lisa Schwarzbaum, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Jeff Millar, Paul Julian Smith, Liam Lacey, Jamie Russell, Sergio Benítez, Blake French, Jim Lane, Michael Dequina, David Grove, Emanuel Levy
Worldwide gross: $377,967
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $704,561
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,668
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 76,833
US/Canada gross: $370,720
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $691,052
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,260
US/Canada opening weekend: $38,289
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $71,374
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,070
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): ESP 370,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Penélope Cruz – Soifa
Chete Lera – Antonio
Fele Martínez – Pelayo
Najwa Nimri – Nuria
Gerard Barray – Duvernois
Director – Alejandro Amenábar
Producers – Fernando Bovaira, José Luis Cuerda
Writers – Alejandro Amenábar, Mateo Gil
Director(s)
Alejandro Amenábar
Writer(s)
Alejandro Amenábar, Mateo Gil
Producer(s)
Fernando Bovaira, José Luis Cuerda
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (7)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Even if the script (written by the director and Mateo Gil) and direction are patchy, the obsessive theme is gripping.
June 8, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
If you’re the type who doesn’t mind jigsaw puzzles unassembling themselves as you assemble them, if you enjoy enigmas and don’t need explanations, the film just might work for you.
July 21, 2005
Jeff Millar
Houston Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Amenbar’s virtuoso style and connection to the youth audience, both of which are resented by the Spanish film establishment, make him a plausible model outside Spain for a European cinema that bridges the gap between arthouse and mainstream.
December 2, 2002
Paul Julian Smith
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
For adventurous filmgoers, though, this Spanish import offers something off the beaten path and a chance to play the coffee-shop game: Could This Screenplay Be Saved?
March 19, 2002 | Rating: 2/4
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
One of the most thought-provoking thrillers of recent years, a film that really does challenge its audience’s expectations and suppositions at every turn.
January 22, 2002 | Rating: 4/5
Jamie Russell
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
The filmmaker’s imaginative performance is a permanent reason for admiration. [Full Review in Spanish]
April 15, 2020
Sergio Benítez
Espinof
If Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch had collaborated on a project, the result might have been something like Open Your Eyes.”
August 2, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Blake French
Filmcritic.com
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review
The visually stunning product is no less absorbing and haunting, not to mention surprisingly moving.
December 29, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
Alejandro Amenabar announced himself in the category of the top level of directors working today.
December 6, 2005 | Rating: 5/5
David Grove
Film Threat
July 13, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com…
Plot
After a car accident leaves him scarred and in prison, successful and handsome Cesar is thrown into a psychological mystery in Open Your Eyes.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Penélope Cruz stars in Open Your Eyes alongside Eduardo Noriega.
Alejandro-Amenábar.jpg
