where to watch The Strange Thing About the Johnsons
7.0/10 IMDb

Where To Watch The Strange Thing About the Johnsons

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is a deeply disturbing short psychological drama that shocked audiences worldwide with its taboo subject matter. Directed by Ari Aster, the film explores a seemingly perfect family hiding an unthinkable secret. Beneath the polished surface of suburban normalcy lies emotional manipulation, power reversal, and psychological abuse that completely defies expectations. The movie gained notoriety online for making viewers uncomfortable rather than entertained. Its calm tone, realistic performances, and shocking narrative twists make it one of the most unsettling short films ever made, often leaving viewers speechless and disturbed long after it ends.

  • Release Date: January 22, 2011
  • Director: Ari Aster
  • Genre: Drama, Horror, Psychological, Thriller
  • Duration: 29 minutes
  • Language: English
  • Starring: Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, Angela Bullock, Carlon Jeffery, Danièle Watts, Stanley Bennett Clay, Connie Jackson
  • Box Office: Not a Theatrical Film
  • Where To Watch: YouTube

More details about The Strange Thing About the Johnsons and where you can watch

The film follows the Johnson family, who appear wealthy, educated, and emotionally stable. Sidney Johnson is a respected poet and professor, living with his wife Joan and their son Isaiah. However, the family dynamic hides a horrifying truth: Isaiah emotionally and sexually abuses his own father, reversing traditional power roles. Sidney is trapped by guilt, shame, and fear, while Joan remains disturbingly passive. As Isaiah grows older, the abuse escalates, pushing Sidney toward psychological collapse. The film builds tension through subtle conversations rather than explicit scenes, making the horror feel disturbingly real. By the end, the audience is forced to confront the devastating consequences of silence, denial, and unchecked trauma.

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Did You Know

The most shocking fact is that this disturbing short film was Ari Aster’s student project, created years before he became famous for Hereditary and Midsommar.