Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Instinct

  • 2019
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
Carice van Houten and Marwan Kenzari in Instinct (2019)
Nicoline, an experienced psychologist, starts a new job at a penal institution. She meets Idris, a sex offender who committed a series of grave crimes. After five years of treatment, he is about to go on his first unaccompanied probation. His team of practitioners are enthusiastic about his development but newcomer Nicoline does not trust him and tries to push his probation. Idris tries his hardest to convince Nicoline of his good intentions, but slowly but surely, he transforms into the manipulative man she saw in him from the beginning. A power play emerges between the two and Nicoline, in spite of her knowledge and experience, lets herself be trapped completely.
Play trailer2:17
2 Videos
18 Photos
DramaMysteryThriller

In spite of her expertise and experience, a seasoned psychologist is completely infatuated by the sex offender she is treating in a penal institution.In spite of her expertise and experience, a seasoned psychologist is completely infatuated by the sex offender she is treating in a penal institution.In spite of her expertise and experience, a seasoned psychologist is completely infatuated by the sex offender she is treating in a penal institution.

  • Director
    • Halina Reijn
  • Writers
    • Esther Gerritsen
    • Halina Reijn
  • Stars
    • Carice van Houten
    • Marwan Kenzari
    • Marie-Mae van Zuilen
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    3.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Halina Reijn
    • Writers
      • Esther Gerritsen
      • Halina Reijn
    • Stars
      • Carice van Houten
      • Marwan Kenzari
      • Marie-Mae van Zuilen
    • 27User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos2

    INSTINCT - INTERNATIONAL TRAILER
    Trailer 2:17
    INSTINCT - INTERNATIONAL TRAILER
    Instinct: Why You're Here
    Clip 1:14
    Instinct: Why You're Here
    Instinct: Why You're Here
    Clip 1:14
    Instinct: Why You're Here

    Photos18

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 12
    View Poster

    Top cast25

    Edit
    Carice van Houten
    Carice van Houten
    • Nicoline
    Marwan Kenzari
    Marwan Kenzari
    • Idris
    Marie-Mae van Zuilen
    • Marieke
    Pieter Embrechts
    Pieter Embrechts
    • Alex
    Ariane Schluter
    • Directrice
    Betty Schuurman
    Betty Schuurman
    • Mother Nicoline
    Abdelkarim El Baz
    • Tarik
    Tamar van den Dop
    • Milly
    Robert de Hoog
    Robert de Hoog
    • Jos
    Kuno Bakker
    • John
    Juda Goslinga
    • Kees
    Barry Emond
    • Kenny
    Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
    • Wilfred
    Maria Kraakman
    Maria Kraakman
    • Paula
    Matijs Jansen
    • Dave
    Amber van Mierlo
    • Lola
    Hanz van der Velde
    • Leonard
    Felix Burleson
    Felix Burleson
    • Piet
    • Director
      • Halina Reijn
    • Writers
      • Esther Gerritsen
      • Halina Reijn
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews27

    6.03.3K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    Kirpianuscus

    ambiguity as virtue

    Vulnerability, manipulation, loneliness, fascination of evil and a not perfect but far to be bad story. A psychologist, a sexual predator behind the bars and a relation giving more its ambiguity than explanations. Good acting, fair accents and good kick to reflect about situations and...instinct. The good point , obvious Carice van Houtten and the special aspect - the relation of Nicoline with her mother.
    4lftaminiau

    Wow, thats not how it works

    Too bad, the dynamic between female therapist and male patient could have been a great set up for a movie. Im a therapist in a forensic setting and could tell you 10 stories that are real and way more interessting. They are completely missing the point in how it works and how it happens that a professional falls for a patient. Shes supposed to be expererienced at her job,but nothing she does makes sense to me, a real therapist
    8cavandraanen

    A bit weird

    I think it was a pretty good movie. The acting was so nice to watch and Carice is very beautiful. The ending was very unsetisfying and leaves a lot of questions open. Some parts of the story line are also quite vague. Overall the story line was good and the movie in itself wasn't bad either.
    7ramin_nekouei

    Who Rapes Whom?

    Starring Carice van Houten (Melisandre on the HBO television series "Game of Thrones") and Marwan Kenzari (Jafar on the 2019 "Aladdin"), "Instinct" has its strengths and weaknesses. The film boasts powerful storyline delving into the complexities of human nature, the dynamics of relationships, and intense drama. Despite the fact that it sometimes resorts to heavy-handed symbolism, leaving some aspects feeling underdeveloped, it raises serious questions about identity and desire. The absence of genuinely honest characters, including a lack of trust even in therapists, is what distinguishes this film, elevating it above its minor flaws.
    5k-muurling

    Magnificent play of the most actors

    But a very strange story. Carice is great but here Translation half of the movie is absurd.

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    Red Light
    7.1
    Red Light
    Babygirl
    5.8
    Babygirl
    De gelukkige huisvrouw
    6.7
    De gelukkige huisvrouw
    Queer
    6.4
    Queer
    Open Seas
    7.0
    Open Seas
    Family Way
    6.6
    Family Way
    Mother
    6.6
    Mother
    For the Birds
    3.6
    For the Birds
    Komt een vrouw bij de dokter
    6.8
    Komt een vrouw bij de dokter
    The Protagonists
    5.3
    The Protagonists
    The Room Next Door
    6.8
    The Room Next Door
    April, May and June
    6.8
    April, May and June

    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Carice Van Houten said working on Game of Thrones (2011) turned her off of filming nude scenes and refuses to do them anymore, especially in the wake of the #MeToo movement. She told Insider that she's brought the lesson she learned to her other projects, including Instinct. She said she and director Halina Reijn made it into a dogma where they are done with nudity. "We don't need to show nudity to create intimacy, we don't need to see breasts."
    • Goofs
      (at around 54 min) When Idris and Nicoline are in the sand dunes, Idris stands up to take a piss. He clearly urinates against the wind, as seen by the direction of the sand blowing towards him across the dune surface. No sane man would ever do this, as one runs a high risk of getting urine on your shoes or trousers.
    • Connections
      Featured in Grolsch Gouden Kalveren Gala (2020)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ16

    • How long is Instinct?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 3, 2019 (Netherlands)
    • Country of origin
      • Netherlands
    • Language
      • Dutch
    • Also known as
      • 禁身誘惑
    • Production companies
      • Topkapi Films
      • Man Up Productions
      • BNN-VARA
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $947,316
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 38m(98 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.