Occasions through the span of one horrible night in Paris unfurl in backward sequential order as the lovely Alex is mercilessly assaulted and beaten by an outsider in the underpass.
13 May 1954, Paris, France
11 January 1964, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Seine-et-Oise, France
5 June 1960
October 5, 1973 in Lunéville, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France
30 September 1964, Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy
24 December 1938, Paris, France
27 December 1963, Buenos Aires, Argentina
23 November 1966, Paris, France
January 05, 2010
Noé weaves together the off-putting elements into something that sears itself permanently in the memory.April 22, 2003
There is nothing moral about Irreversible -- only sneeringly superior and nihilistic, like Johnny Rotten at his most fatuous.April 11, 2003
Fails because of its gratuitous rape and violence and also because of its pretentious and intellectually one-dimensional grounds, which make the violence at the end feel even worse.May 09, 2003
Extremely difficult to endure, and if you choose to endure it, it could leave you feeling angry and upset. Nevertheless, this is serious filmmaking, and Noe is a gifted filmmaker.April 11, 2003
A genuine outlaw work of art.September 24, 2007
Noe is a confrontational master, no question.June 21, 2007
The film is almost unwatchable at the beginning, but the chaos and horror of the swinging camera stabilizes, the film becomes more structured and horrifying long after the cinematic devices calm down.November 20, 2008
The lurid gimmick of a barking sideshow host.December 28, 2009
Contains crippling, extended acts of sexual violence and general inhumanity, yet, under the bleeding rawness of it all, was a film of brilliant technical achievement and unrivaled, unrelenting ferocity.November 21, 2006
Me? I'm going to go watch "The Brady Bunch" to wash these images out of mind. And, I'm going to withstand the fury of those who decide I'm a squeamish wimp.April 24, 2003
A fascinating study in excess, a movie that seduces and repulses as it explores the merciless nature of fate.March 27, 2003
A sometimes repellent yet deeply moving film.