Overview
- Leviticus opened in wide U.S. release after a Sundance premiere and a Neon acquisition, and critics are responding to its blend of tender romance and horror language.
- The story follows two teenage boys in a conservative, church‑dominated community who are subjected to a punitive faith‑based intervention that forces them to confront internalized shame.
- Director Adrian Chiarella drew on biblical imagery and a post‑2017 rise in anti‑LGBTQ rhetoric to craft the film and has said he wanted to critique a form of homophobia that 'masquerades as care.'
- Reviewers are focused on the film’s moral questions about parental and religious responsibility and on its deliberately ambiguous final image rather than simple catharsis.
- Industry coverage notes Neon’s reported seven‑figure Sundance deal and a wide theatrical rollout that has positioned Leviticus as a first‑time‑director horror breakout with early awards conversation and no post‑theatrical streaming plans announced.