SummaryTroubled college freshman Luke (Miles Robbins) suffers a violent family trauma and resurrects his childhood imaginary friend Daniel (Patrick Schwarzenegger) to help him cope. Charismatic and full of manic energy, Daniel helps Luke to achieve his dreams, before pushing him to the very edge of sanity and into a desperate struggle for control of his... Read More
Directed By:Adam Egypt Mortimer
Written By:Brian DeLeeuw, Adam Egypt Mortimer
Daniel Isn't Real
Metascore
Generally Favorable
61
User score
Generally Favorable
6.4
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
61
45% Positive
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
45% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
9% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Oct 24, 2019
90
It’s thoroughly engrossing, entertaining, and a lot of fun from beginning to end.
Jan 3, 2020
75
A slick and thrilling take on the intersection of mental illness and creative inspiration that also doubles as a commentary on toxic masculinity.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.4
53% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
35% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
12% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Mar 2, 2020
8
This movie took me by surprise, I started watching it expecting your average "spooky story" but Daniel is so much more. It works on multiple levels and you will enjoy it whether you look for "teenage drama", or "scary horror", or even if you in to more of "psychological thriller" side of things. For me personally it was a really well told story about schizophrenia/multiple personality disorder. I did not expect such a quality from this movie either. The acting from both main leads is surprisingly good, its shoot well, and the spare use of very effective CGI adds to the atmosphere.
Aug 5, 2022
7
Fairly strong start, decent finish. A serviceable addition to the genre. If Mile’s in his final portrayal had been a bit stronger and if the latter part of the movie was fresher or more unique it could have stood out a bit more in its genre.
Dec 2, 2019
75
Daniel Isn’t Real is exploitation that eschews the trashier elements of the genre. As a director, Mortimer frames a great shot and pulls gangbusters performances out of Robbins and Schwarzenegger. It’s minded, but also massively entertaining genre cinema.
Feb 6, 2020
60
It’s full of plot holes but compulsively watchable for the first hour, before the whole thing falls to pieces as Mortimer chucks in a load of well-worn horror-movie tropes.
Dec 6, 2019
50
The best thing I can say about Daniel Isn’t Real is that it’s a promising early feature made by young artists who haven’t yet worked out how to express and/or synthesize what they like about their favorite artists and their work. It’s all style and very little substance.
Dec 3, 2019
50
Mortimer builds Daniel Isn’t Real to a conclusion that, in concept, should be both tragic and terrifying. Here, it just feels perfunctory.
Nov 29, 2019
38
Its performatively extreme imagery thinly masks a rather banal view of male subjectivity and inner conflict.
Production Company:
- SpectreVision
- Ace Pictures (II)
- ACE Pictures Entertainment
Release Date:Dec 6, 2019
Duration:1 h 40 m
Tagline:From the Producers of 'Mandy'
Awards
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
