You’re probably here because you saw a clip of Ellen Page—now Elliot Page—looking absolutely terrified in a bleak, rain-soaked version of Ireland. Or maybe you're just tired of the "running-and-screaming" tropes of The Walking Dead and want something with a bit more meat on its bones. Honestly, finding where to watch The Cure—David Freyne's 2017 directorial debut—can be a total pain depending on where you're sitting in the world. Streaming rights for indie horror films are a mess. They jump from platform to platform like they’re playing a game of musical chairs where the music never stops, and half the chairs are broken.
If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out on one of the most grounded takes on the "infected" genre since 28 Days Later. It isn't about the apocalypse. It’s about the aftermath. It asks: what happens to the monsters when they turn human again?
Where to Stream The Cured Without Losing Your Mind
Right now, if you are in the United States, your best bet is IFC Films Unlimited. Since IFC distributed the film back in 2018, they’ve kept a pretty tight grip on the digital rights. You can usually access this via an add-on channel through Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+. If you’re a Hulu subscriber, keep an eye out; it occasionally cycles through their library because of their historical deal with IFC, but it’s a "here today, gone tomorrow" situation.
For those of you across the pond in the UK or Ireland, the situation is slightly different. BFI Player is often the home for The Cured, given its status as a significant piece of Irish cinema. Sometimes it pops up on Netflix in specific European territories, but honestly, don’t count on it staying there for more than a month or two. Streaming licenses are basically temporary handshakes.
Rent it. Just rent it.
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If you don't want to subscribe to yet another niche service, you can find The Cured for a few bucks on the usual suspects:
- Google Play Store (usually the cheapest for HD)
- YouTube Movies
- Vudu / Fandango at Home
- Microsoft Store
The rental price usually hovers around $3.99, while buying it outright is often $12.99 to $14.99. Given how often it disappears from "free" streaming tiers, owning the digital copy isn't the worst idea if you’re a horror buff.
Why This Movie Is Harder To Find Than Your Average Zombie Flick
Most zombie movies are easy to market. You put a guy with a shotgun on the poster and call it a day. The Cured is different. It’s a sociopolitical drama disguised as a horror movie. It’s quiet. It’s brooding. It’s very, very Irish.
The story picks up years after a virus called the Maze Virus turned the population into cannibalistic predators. Scientists found a cure. Great, right? Not really. The "Cured" remember everything they did while they were infected. Imagine waking up and remembering, in vivid detail, that you ate your neighbor. That’s the emotional weight Page and co-star Sam Keeley are carrying here.
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Tom Vaughan-Lawlor plays Cillian, and he is genuinely terrifying. He doesn't need makeup or prosthetics to be scary; he just uses his eyes. He represents the "cured" who don't want to be reintegrated—they want to take back the power they felt when they were monsters. It’s a heavy metaphor for the Northern Irish Troubles and the reintegration of former paramilitaries into society. That kind of nuance doesn't always translate to "mass market appeal," which is why it often sits in the "hidden gems" section of streaming apps rather than the front page.
The Reality of Regional Locking
Let’s be real: licensing is annoying. If you’re in Australia or Canada, you might see "Content Unavailable" on every link you click. This is where people usually turn to a VPN to hop over to a U.S. or UK server. While I can’t officially tell you to bypass regional restrictions, I can tell you that the internet is a very big place and people have been doing it for years to access the IFC library.
Technical Specs for the Best Viewing Experience
If you manage to find a stream, try to watch it in at least 1080p. The cinematography by Piers McGrail is gorgeous in a very bleak, grey way. He uses a lot of low-light shots in the housing estates of Dublin that look like absolute mud if your bit-rate is too low. If you're watching a compressed 720p version on some random "free movie" site, you're going to miss the subtle facial acting that makes the movie work.
The sound design is also crucial. There’s a specific "click" or "shriek" the infected make that haunts the background of several scenes. Use headphones. It’s a movie that relies on tension rather than jump scares. It’s a slow burn. It’s a simmer, not a boil.
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What Critics and Fans Actually Think
The Cured holds a respectable 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. That might seem low to some, but for a high-concept horror film, that’s actually pretty solid. Most of the "negative" reviews come from people who wanted World War Z and got a meditation on guilt and PTSD instead.
Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian praised the film for its "bracingly clever" take on the genre. He noted that it feels more like a prison drama than a monster movie. On the flip side, some viewers on Reddit’s r/horror find the pacing a bit sluggish in the middle act. They aren't entirely wrong. It takes its time. But the payoff in the final twenty minutes is a chaotic, heart-wrenching sequence that makes the wait worth it.
The Physical Media Route (The Only Way to Be Sure)
If you're like me and you hate the idea of a movie you love just vanishing because a contract expired, buy the Blu-ray. Shout! Factory put out a decent release under their IFC Midnight banner. It’s becoming a bit of a collector’s item, but you can still snag it on eBay or specialized horror retailers like DiabolikDVD.
Physical media is the only way to ensure you can watch The Cured whenever you want. No buffering. No "this title is not available in your region." Just the movie. Plus, the Blu-ray usually includes a few "making-of" featurettes that explain how they turned modern Dublin into a militarized quarantine zone on a shoestring budget.
Actionable Steps to Watch Tonight
Stop scrolling through Netflix’s "Trending Now" section—it isn't there. Follow these steps to get the movie on your screen in the next five minutes:
- Search JustWatch or Reelgood: These sites are the gold standard for checking daily updates on streaming availability. Enter "The Cured (2017)" and make sure you don't accidentally click on the 2020 TV series with a similar name.
- Check your Amazon Prime Channels: Look for the IFC Films Unlimited 7-day free trial. If you haven't used it yet, you can watch the movie for free and cancel the sub before you get charged.
- Check Kanopy or Hoopla: If you have a library card, these services are god-tier. They often carry IFC Midnight titles for free, and The Cured frequently appears there for US and Canadian residents.
- Optimize your setup: Dim the lights, grab some headphones, and prepare for a movie that is going to make you feel very uncomfortable about the concept of forgiveness.
If you enjoy The Cured, your next logical step is to check out It Comes at Night or the 2016 film The Girl with All the Gifts. They share that same DNA of "smart horror" that sticks in your brain long after the credits roll. Don't expect a happy ending, though. This is Irish horror. We don't really do "happy." We do "emotionally devastating." Enjoy the watch.