Ottessa Moshfegh is an author with an unapologetic mastery in crafting characters, particularly women, who tend to provoke intense reactions from her readers due to their repellent nature, often embody qualities of being unreliable companions and displaying egoistic tendencies. Moshfegh conjures up worlds as surreal as our own, serving as a mirror to our behaviors and habits, and it is a fascinating experience. Now, the craziness of Moshfegh's work is finding a place on the silver screen with her debut novel Eileen being adapted into a film, with Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway starring in the leading roles.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on December 7, 2023.

When and Where Can You Watch 'Eileen'?

Commencing with a limited theatrical release on December 1, 2023, Eileen is expected to enthrall viewers with its mysterious narrative and compelling performances. As the buzz surrounding the movie continues to build, the film will grace a wider audience, expanding its release on December 8, 2023. With its global distribution, Eileen will enjoy an international release, building on the excitement generated from its successful premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Following this successful premiere, NEON secured North American distribution rights in March 2023 with Focus Features acquiring the film's global distribution rights, excluding North America by July 2023. Universal Pictures, its parent company, is poised to handle distribution worldwide, with the film slated for theatrical release in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the same day as its limited release in the United States.

Is There a Trailer For 'Eileen'?

NEON released the trailer for Eileen on October 17, 2023, giving the public their first good look at the film.

Who Is in the Cast of Eileen?

Eileen boasts a stellar ensemble cast, with Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie leading the way. Hathaway takes on the role of Rebecca, a pivotal character in the story, while McKenzie embodies the titular character, Eileen Dunlop. With Eileen embodying a dissatisfied and reserved young woman, it will be exciting to see how McKenzie portrays the character, highlighting her subtle yet underlying complex personality. Alongside her, Dr Rebecca is a reflection of confidence and self-assuredness, casting an enigmatic aura in every setting and thus the dynamic between McKenzie's understated portrayal and Hathaway's commanding presence is something we are eagerly looking forward to.

In an interview with Collider's Perri Nemiroff, Shea Whigham, who stars as Eileen's troubled alcoholic father Jim Dunlop, praised McKenzie's acting ability, saying:

“You take these characters on because they scare you a lot of times and you don't know if you're gonna be able to figure them out, or if you do, actually. And that's what they were saying about Will is that when I would get lost, he would be able to bring some clarity to the character. Same with Thomasin. She possesses, and this is very difficult thing to do in acting, is to be in the moment at all times in a scene. Because everyone thinks when they call ‘action’ you can action between ‘action’ and ‘cut,’ but she's always present in giving you — no matter if I dropped the mic, she doesn’t act like it didn’t drop. She picks it up, you know what I mean? And so I felt there were many times — one time we had a scene by the fire that was a tricky five-page two-hander and she was just so present in that.”

Other cast members include Owen Teague as Randy, Marin Ireland as Rita Polk, Jefferson White as Buck Warren, Tonye Patano as Mrs. Stevens, and Siobhan Fallon-Hogan as Mrs. Murray.

What Is 'Eileen' About?

Following its debut, Eileen garnered critical acclaim and a slew of awards. It clinched the prestigious PEN/Hemingway Award and also secured a finalist spot for the esteemed Man Booker Prize. The narrative unfolds around Eileen, a young woman employed at a 1960s Massachusetts prison, residing with her troublesome, alcoholic ex-police officer father who persistently makes her life difficult. With her monotonous routine and a deep longing for some company and excitement in her life, she meets the charming yet peculiar Dr. Rebecca, a prison psychologist who brings about a potential turning point in Eileen’s life. She extends a hand of friendship to Eileen, gradually revealing facets of Eileen's character that have long remained dormant. As Eileen's connection with Rebecca deepens, she unwittingly becomes entangled in the counselor's concealed, sinister past, setting the stage for a gripping tale of secrecy and revelation.

Eileen is a character-driven exploration of loneliness, desire, and the complexity of human relationships. Moshfegh's book is darkly humorous, and she expertly delves into the psyche of her protagonist, creating a vivid and evocative narrative. The novel's tension steadily builds, creating a sense of unease and anticipation throughout the story, and with Moshfegh having co-written the script with her husband Luke Goebel, we can expect the same emotions to translate into the adaptation with her highlighting the book-to-film adaptation process. While talking to Collider, Moshfegh said:

“As the author of a novel you need to see it through a very specific lens, and when you're adapting it into film that lens is the camera and you have to think like a cinematographer and a director, and you have to think like the character, and you have to think like the character 10 years ago, and you have to think like a writer. So collaborating with people who can help melt away the limits of your singular perspective and offer other ways of seeing your project is crucial.”

Collider's Ross Bonaime wrote in his review of the film:

"...an intriguing little story that shifts and alters the further it goes, playing with the audience, and giving them the opposite of what they’re expecting."

Who Is Making 'Eileen'?

Eileen boasts a talented team of filmmakers and producers. This film, directed by William Oldroyd, marks the director’s return to feature-length filmmaking since his notable role in catapulting Florence Pugh to stardom with 2016's Lady Macbeth. In being interviewed by Collider, Oldroyed pointed out how Eileen may be divisive."

“The material’s not everyone's not everyone's cup of tea. I think it's my cup of tea. I think it's exactly the sort of stories that I'm drawn to read in books and watch on screen. It’s dark. It’s, at times, strange because Eileen has this vivid inner life. We wanted to represent that visually. It's risky territory because there's a tendency to want to play it safe, oftentimes, especially in a very difficult market for cinema at the moment. ”

This film also sees the collaboration of screenwriters Ottessa Moshfegh and Luke Goebel. The production is in the capable hands of Stefanie Azpiazu, Anthony Bregman, Peter Cron, Luke Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh, William Oldroyd, and Bavand Karim. Academy Award-nominated Ari Wegner is in charge of cinematography, while the skilled Nick Emerson takes on the editing with Richard Reed Parry tasked with crafting the film's musical score.