---
title: "Naked"
year: 1993
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/naked"
fi1m_id: "naked"
imdb_id: "tt0107653"
tmdb_id: 21450
wikidata_id: "Q1963079"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 80
critics_reviews: 15
published: "2026-09-14"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:16.389239+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Naked (1993)

Directed by Mike Leigh · 2h 11m · MPA NR · Drama, Comedy

## Identity

Naked

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/naked
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** naked
- **IMDb ID:** tt0107653
- **TMDB ID:** 21450
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1963079
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107653/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/21450, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1963079

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 80 from 15 reviews

*In a sentence:* A man who could start an argument in an empty street and still blame somebody else

> David Thewlis makes Mike Leigh’s bleak comedy frighteningly watchable, even when Johnny’s cruelty is hardest to bear. A few encounters run long, and some supporting figures verge on caricature, but the performance keeps earning our uncomfortable attention.

## Synopsis

Johnny (David Thewlis) is a drifter in London who meets other people with a mixture of talk, jokes and hostility. His encounters bring him into contact with loneliness and despair, while his own behaviour exposes others to cruelty. Lesley Sharp plays Louise, Katrin Cartlidge plays Sophie and Greg Cruttwell plays Jeremy in Mike Leigh’s drama with black comedy. As Johnny talks his way through the city, the film follows people struggling to connect with one another and sets his aggression alongside the behaviour of another man.

## Review

*Naked* is a harsh, funny and rewarding film, though Mike Leigh sometimes lets Johnny talk for longer than we need to listen. David Thewlis plays the London drifter as a man who can turn almost any encounter into an occasion to be cruel. Thewlis holds our attention even when Johnny seems determined to drive everyone else away. Leigh gives him much of the talking and leaves us to judge how much of it deserves believing.

Thewlis understands the pleasure of listening to somebody who always has another answer. His speech has the speed and impatience of a man already irritated by the objection he expects next. Johnny made us laugh when we wanted him to stop talking. The insults are delivered with such relish that the joke arrives before we have properly registered who is being hurt. There is something frightening in how much he enjoys it.

In Dick Pope’s cinematography, London seems exhausted by the people in it. Alison Chitty’s production design adds to that impression of a place with little comfort to offer. Neither contribution makes the misery inviting to look at, and we think that is right. Leigh needs us to feel that Johnny is moving through a city full of other lives, with other claims on our sympathy, rather than a backdrop provided for his complaints.

Jon Gregory’s editing is patient with the talk, which usually pays off because Thewlis can make a change of mood feel dangerous. Some exchanges, though, continue after we have understood both Johnny’s point and the pleasure he takes in making it. Andrew Dickson’s music sustains the unease around the talk, helping the film remain troubling even when Johnny is being funny. At 131 minutes, it has stretches where another round of argument adds little to what we know.

Leigh’s least persuasive choice is to include an even more repellent man against whom we can measure Johnny. The comparison feels unnecessary when Thewlis has already made our response to the central character so complicated. It also encourages the tendency towards caricature that occasionally makes the supporting figures less convincing. We do not need the film to supply somebody worse before we can recognise something human in Johnny.

Lesley Sharp’s Louise and Katrin Cartlidge’s Sophie matter because the film needs people who can hold our interest without competing with Johnny’s verbal aggression. Their performances give its cruelty a human cost that another speech about society could not establish. As social comedy, this is unusually willing to make the person supplying the jokes someone we would dread meeting. Leigh is at his most persuasive when he keeps us attentive to the people that louder character might prefer us to ignore.

We recommend it for the acting and for Leigh’s willingness to make our enjoyment uncomfortable. Its cruelty towards women is hard to sit through, and the comedy does not make that easier. Anyone seeking a comforting account of damaged people should choose something else. Go in prepared to be entertained by a man whose company we would cross the road to avoid.

*Fi1m score 84, published 14 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

With only 5 reviews in so far, most critics respond strongly to Naked’s dark humour, social observation and David Thewlis’s performance as the articulate, repellent Johnny. Praise centres on the complexity of that character and Leigh’s bleak depiction of urban life, though sympathetic reviews note rambling scenes and occasional parody. The spread is wide rather than cautiously favourable: The Independent rejects the protagonist as artificial and finds his nihilism insufficiently challenged, with stereotypical supporting characters and excessive length compounding the problem. The central divide concerns whether the cruelty reveals human complexity or becomes self-indulgence.

## Straight answers

**Is Naked worth watching?**

*Naked* is worth watching for anyone prepared to be entertained by a man they would cross the road to avoid, and we scored it 84. David Thewlis makes Johnny's cruelty frighteningly watchable, though Mike Leigh lets some arguments run on after the point is made. Anyone wanting a comforting account of damaged people should choose something else.

**How long is Naked, and what is it rated?**

*Naked* runs 2h 11m and is rated NR by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Naked in the US?**

*Naked* is streaming on The Criterion Channel in the US. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Naked, and is it suitable for children?**

*Naked* carries a UK 18 certificate and is not suitable for children. Its violence is mostly verbal, but the cruelty towards women is hard to sit through and the comedy does not soften it, while a second, more repellent man is included for comparison. Viewers who find sustained hostility distressing should approach it with care.

**How does Naked compare to Withnail & I?**

*Naked* is harsher and more destructive company than [*Withnail & I*](https://film.one/film/withnail-and-i), with verbal brilliance that does little to improve anyone's circumstances. Both are bleak British comedies built on one dazzling talker, but Bruce Robinson's film is the warmer and sadder, while Mike Leigh's makes our enjoyment of the jokes uncomfortable. Choose *Withnail & I* for affection, *Naked* for unease.

**What should I watch after Naked?**

After *Naked*, try [*Withnail and I*](https://film.one/film/withnail-and-i) (1987, Fi1m 88): More destructive company, with verbal brilliance doing little to improve anyone’s circumstances. Then [*The Piano Teacher*](https://film.one/film/the-piano-teacher) (2001, Fi1m 82): For another difficult character study in which intimacy becomes an occasion for cruelty; and [*A Woman Under the Influence*](https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence) (1974, Fi1m 86): Demanding performances make the damage people do within a household painfully immediate.

### Reviews we read (15)

- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★★): This is the greatest David Thewlis performance in one of the greatest Mike Leigh films. Thewlis plays the motormouth conspiracy theorist Johnny who wanders London expounding on his labyrinthine life theories in a series of blistering monologues. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/naked-review-a-rollercoaster-ride-into-the-mind-of-a-maniac-wxsg3nr0f)
- **Empire**, Kim Newman (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the film as a masterpiece of dark humour and accurate observation, a British counterpart to Bad Lieutenant. He praises David Thewlis's brilliant central performance while noting some rambling scenes. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/naked-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (90/100, inferred): Turan hails the film as remarkable and unnerving, a daring character study of the vicious yet complex Johnny. He praises Leigh's rehearsal process and the way the film illuminates the intricacies of life through its lead performance. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-12-16-ca-2212-story.html)
- **The AV Club**, Mike D'Angelo (90/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's status as Leigh's bleakest work, centered on a mesmerizing, logorrheic performance by David Thewlis as the sociopathic yet witty Johnny. Leigh contrasts this character with an even more repulsive figure to underscore themes of emotional violence and stripped humanity. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/naked-is-mike-leigh-s-nastiest-movie-and-maybe-his-best-1798241762)
- **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby (90/100, inferred): Canby calls the film a brilliant somersault into dark new territory for Leigh, centered on the caustic, abusive drifter Johnny. He singles out David Thewlis's staggeringly fine performance and the dazzling dialogue for praise. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/15/movies/review-film-festival-cruising-nighttown-in-quest-of-the-ultimate-light.html)
- **Time Out**, GA (90/100, inferred): Leigh's picaresque tale is his most troubling and intriguing work since Meantime, and by far his most cinematic; the outstanding cast, especially David Thewlis's virtuoso performance, gives the film its cruel energy, wit and power. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/naked)
- **Variety** (90/100, inferred): Mike Leigh's film is a major surprise, a Stygian comedy on 90s London social angst that shifts suddenly from comedy to violence and ends in a strangely moving love story. It features a resonant, beautifully modulated script and a tour de force performance from David Thewlis. [Read](https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/naked-1200432237/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Joseph Jon Lanthier (85/100, inferred): The review presents Naked as a complex humanist polemic set in post-Thatcher London, praising its focus on the mercurial, intellectually barbed Johnny as both repellent and fascinating. It singles out the film's resistance to simple allegory and its vivid portrayal of urban despair and fleeting human connections. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/naked-bd/)
- **The Guardian**, Derek Malcolm (85/100, inferred): The critic hails Naked as one of the most complex and audacious British films of the early nineties, praising its unflinching portrayal of societal ills through Johnny's story. He singles out David Thewlis's brilliant performance as the anti-hero for particular acclaim, while noting the film's pessimism and occasional parody. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_review/0,,544581,00.html)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (70/100, inferred): Mike Leigh's Naked may be the first British movie in a long while worth paying to see, thanks to David Thewlis's force-of-nature performance as the central figure Johnny. The film has its share of cartoons and flaws but is redeemed by Thewlis's attention and model performance. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/01/17/exposed)
- **Sight and Sound**, Andy Medhurst (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the film disturbing and cruel in its depiction of misogyny and male self-loathing, but argues it deserves serious consideration because of Mike Leigh's established talent for nuanced British social comedy. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/features/mike-leigh-naked-truth)
- **The Independent**, Adam Mars-Jones (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film sour and dominated by an artificial, nihilistic protagonist whose worldview goes largely uncontested. He singles out the unconvincing, stereotypical supporting characters and the film's excessive length and self-indulgence for complaint. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-stripped-of-the-bare-necessities-life-says-adam-mars-jones-is-anything-but-sweet-in-mike-leigh-s-new-film-naked-1502225.html)
- **Collider**, Andre Dellamorte (85/100, inferred): The critic highlights the lightning-in-a-bottle performance by David Thewlis as the feral, brilliant Johnny and praises the entire cast's depth along with Leigh's stylized direction and sparse lighting that underscore the film's themes of isolation. [Read](https://collider.com/criterion-naked-blu-ray-review/)
- **Paste**, Paste Staff (80/100, inferred): The review centers on David Thewlis's kinetic, complex performance as the antihero Johnny and commends the raw, anti-Hollywood realism of Leigh's improvisatory approach that makes every moment electrifying despite loose structure. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/mike-leigh/naked-dvd-review)
- **Film Stories**, Rob Daniel (75/100, inferred): The critic revisits Mike Leigh's divisive 1993 film during a BFI retrospective and 4K re-release, highlighting its shocking tone shift from the director's earlier work and the ferocious star-making turn by David Thewlis as the misanthropic Johnny. They note the film's challenging, horrifying, beautiful, objectionable, funny, exciting and exhausting qualities, along with its renewed relevance to issues like homelessness, misogyny and urban alienation. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/mike-leighs-naked-revisiting-his-darkest-film/)

## Details

- **Director:** Mike Leigh
- **Director:** Mike Leigh
- **Writer:** Mike Leigh
- **Cinematography:** Dick Pope
- **Editor:** Jon Gregory
- **Music:** Andrew Dickson
- **Production design:** Alison Chitty
- **Costume design:** Lindy Hemming
- **Producer:** Simon Channing-Williams
- **Cast:** David Thewlis as Johnny; Lesley Sharp as Louise; Katrin Cartlidge as Sophie; Greg Cruttwell as Jeremy; Claire Skinner as Sandra; Peter Wight as Brian; Ewen Bremner as Archie; Susan Vidler as Maggie
- **Runtime:** 2h 11m
- **Certificate (MPA):** NR
- **Release (the US):** 4 February 1994
- **Genres:** Drama, Comedy
- **Box office:** $2 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdKPbyvS0qc

## Where to watch in the US

- The Criterion Channel: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-14.*

Also available in: CA, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, IE, LT, NO, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Withnail and I* (1987), Fi1m 88: More destructive company, with verbal brilliance doing little to improve anyone’s circumstances. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/withnail-and-i.md)
- *The Fire Within* (1963): A quieter encounter with despair, following a man unable to accept companionship.
- *The Piano Teacher* (2001), Fi1m 82: For another difficult character study in which intimacy becomes an occasion for cruelty. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-piano-teacher.md)
- *Oslo, August 31st* (2011): Another troubled wanderer crosses a city, with less aggression and more regret.
- *A Woman Under the Influence* (1974), Fi1m 86: Demanding performances make the damage people do within a household painfully immediate. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/naked