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The Shrinking Man

The Shrinking Man

Adventure · Science Fiction · 2025

Paul, is an ordinary man who divides his life between his shipbuilding company, his wife Elise and their daughter Mia. During a sea trip, Paul finds himself confronted with a strange, unexplained meteorological phenomenon. From then on, Paul shrinks inexorably, without science being able to explain why or be of any help to him. When, by accident, he finds himself a prisoner in his own cellar, and while he is only a few centimeters tall, he will have to fight to survive in this banal environment that has become perilous. During this experience, Paul will find himself confronted with himself, with his humanity, and will try to answer the great questions of existence.

Movie details

The Shrinking Man

2025 Adventure · Science Fiction 1h 39m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

Paul, is an ordinary man who divides his life between his shipbuilding company, his wife Elise and their daughter Mia. During a sea trip, Paul finds himself confronted with a strange, unexplained meteorological phenomenon. From then on, Paul shrinks inexorably, without science being able to explain why or be of any help to him. When, by accident, he finds himself a prisoner in his own cellar, and while he is only a few centimeters tall, he will have to fight to survive in this banal environment that has become perilous. During this experience, Paul will find himself confronted with himself, with his humanity, and will try to answer the great questions of existence.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Shrinking Man?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jan Kounen

Written by

Christophe Deslandes · Jan Kounen

Jean Dujardin

Jean Dujardin

Paul

Marie-Josée Croze

Marie-Josée Croze

Élise

Daphné Richard

Daphné Richard

Mia

Serge Swysen

Serge Swysen

Dr. Sicre

Salim Talbi

Salim Talbi

Karim

Miranda Raison

Miranda Raison

Cast

Stéphanie Van Vyve

Stéphanie Van Vyve

L'endocrinologue

Court is in session

Put The Shrinking Man on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Prestige Tourist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.