O'Dessa

O'Dessa is a 2025 American post-apocalyptic musical drama film written and directed by Geremy Jasper that retells the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. It stars Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett, and Regina Hall.^[1] The film was released by Searchlight Pictures through Hulu on March 20, 2025.^[2]

O'Dessa
Release poster
Directed by	Geremy Jasper
Written by	Geremy Jasper
Produced by	Michael Gottwald Noah Stahl
Starring	Sadie Sink Kelvin Harrison Jr. Murray Bartlett Regina Hall
Cinematography	Rina Yang
Edited by	Jay Rabinowitz Jane Rizzo
Music by	Geremy Jasper Jason Binnick (songs and music)
Production companies	Department of Motion Pictures RT Features
Distributed by	Searchlight Pictures (through Hulu)
Release dates	March 8, 2025 (2025-03-08) (SXSW) March 20, 2025 (2025-03-20) (United States)
Running time	106 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Cast

• Sadie Sink as O'Dessa Gallowey
• Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Euri Dervish
• Murray Bartlett as Plutonovich
• Regina Hall as Neon Dion
• Mark Boone Junior as Father Walter
• Bree Elrod as Calliope Galloway
• Pokey LaFarge as Vergil Galloway
• Marinko Prga as Vulturo

Production

In January 2023, Searchlight Pictures was developing a post-apocalyptic musical drama film written and directed by Geremy Jasper, with Sadie Sink in the lead role.^[3] In April, Regina Hall, Pokey LaFarge, and Murray Bartlett joined the cast.^[4][5] Principal photography began in May 2023, in Croatia.^[5]

Release

O'Dessa had its world premiere at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 8, 2025.^[6] It was released by Searchlight Pictures through Hulu on March 20, 2025.^[7]

Reception

Viewership

JustWatch, a guide to streaming content with access to data from more than 45 million users around the world, reported that O'Dessa was in the top five most-streamed films in the U.S. from March 17–30.^[8][9]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 39% of 54 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Sadie Sink manages to rise above the schlock in a doomed rock-opera that sadly loses its purpose and steam while rambling to the finish line."^[10] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the film holds a score of 41/100 based on 14 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.^[11]

Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Times said O'Dessa is a bold and intriguing musical, praised its energetic style, and found Sadie Sink's performance solid, especially her singing. She stated that the film's postapocalyptic setting was creative but noted that its mix of elements sometimes felt uneven. Vincentelli appreciated the movie's music, highlighting its blend of emo Americana and power ballads, and found Regina Hall's performance as a flamboyant villain especially entertaining.^[12] Kristy Puchko of Mashable praised O'Dessa as a gender-bending, visually vibrant rock musical with a rebellious spirit. She highlighted Sink's performance as the androgynous heroine and Kelvin Harrison Jr.'s role as her romantic counterpart, noting the film's playful subversion of gender expectations. Puchko was particularly impressed by Hall's character and the movie's blend of surreal production design and punk energy. While she found most of the soundtrack spectacular, she felt the climatic song lacked the power and boldness needed to deliver a truly unforgettable finale.^[13]

William Bibbiani of TheWrap complimented O'Dessa's for its energetic and bracing approach, highlighting Sink's strong performance and the film's blend of rock musical and post-apocalyptic elements. He appreciated the movie's exploration of music's power and limitations, stating that it succeeds in depicting a world where art plays a role in resistance. Bibbiani found the film's visual style inconsistent due to its mix retro sets and CGI, but still enjoyed the costume design and character dynamics. He also noted that the soundtrack, while effective in the moment, lacked lasting impact.^[14] Randy Myers of The Mercury News describing O'Dessa's as a visually striking yet flawed dystopian musical. He noted that while the film has the potential to become a cult classic like Tommy or The Wall, it ultimately falls short due to underdeveloped storylines, drawing a parallel to the issues that hindered Megalopolis. Myers praised Sink for her performance, showcasing her talent as both an actor and singer. He also highlighted the film's energy and boldness but found it lacking in emotional investment, which could prevent viewers from caring about the characters' fates.^[15]