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Death Becomes Her

Play trailer Poster for Death Becomes Her PG-13 1992 1h 45m Fantasy Comedy Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
58% Tomatometer 60 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
When a novelist loses her man to a movie star and former friend, she winds up in a psychiatric hospital. Years later, she returns home to confront the now-married couple, looking radiant. Her ex-husband's new wife wants to know her secret, and discovers that she has been taking a mysterious drug which grants eternal life to the person who drinks it. The actress follows suit, but discovers that immortality has a price.
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Death Becomes Her

Death Becomes Her

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Critics Consensus

Hawn and Streep are as fabulous as Death Becomes Her's innovative special effects; Zemeckis' satire, on the other hand, is as hollow as the world it mocks.

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Critics Reviews

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David Denby New York Magazine/Vulture 05/11/2021
The target of the movie's jokes is female vanity, but since Zemeckis exhibits not a trace of affection for the actresses (or for any of the men, either), one feels humiliated merely watching his crude-spirited wit. Go to Full Review Jay Boyar Orlando Sentinel 01/03/2019
This new horror-comedy has to be one of the most heartless mainstream pictures ever made. Go to Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 01/03/2019
If there were something resembling genuine satire of human behavior beyond the simple pretexts for fancy special effects and relentless sadism, I might have found some of this funny. Go to Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm Apr 21
2.5/4
... the central idea is tantalizing and the cast is having so much fun... Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Jan 1
2.5/4
The script by Martin Donovan and David Koepp never lacks for cleverness, but it's ultimately more frantic than funny. Go to Full Review Noah Gittell Washington City Paper 02/11/2025
It’s funny, horrifying, and tightly plotted. It goes down a little too smooth, but it may have been all that was possible at the time. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Chris G Jun 10 Absolutely wonderful movie. The youngins have a lot to learn from this. Everybody's trying to look younger, but it comes at a cost. Everything comes at a cost. You'd be wise to learn a few things from this. See more Olga Apr 19 An absolute classic - I'm in awe with everything in this movie same as I was some 30+ years ago upon its release. See more Lior G @RT02523301 Jun 19 A black comedy that attempts to teach the price of Western culture's endless pursuit of the fountain of youth, presented against the backdrop of Hollywood in the 1980s. Witty, funny, honest and direct. Combined with wonderful cinematography, effects at the forefront of 1992 technology and top-notch acting, this is a perfect film. See more salvationDANCE T @DanceHH81 Jun 14 more than a cult classic. even though I have to admit that the book does not satisfy towards the end... See more Ignacio C @Nachcam Jun 3 My favorite comedy movie of all times. See more Ben W @Username618 Jun 2 Bit obvious but quite amusing. Body comedy, huh. See more Read all reviews
Death Becomes Her

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Cast & Crew

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Robert Zemeckis

Director

Meryl Streep

Madeline Ashton

Bruce Willis

Ernest Menville

Goldie Hawn

Helen Sharp

Isabella Rossellini

Lisle Von Rhuman

Ian Ogilvy

Chagall

Movie Clips

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Death Becomes Her

Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Helen Pays Ernest a Visit Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Helen Pays Ernest a Visit 1:30 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Plotting Madeline's Death Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Plotting Madeline's Death 2:00 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Eternal Youth Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Eternal Youth 2:59 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Medical Mystery Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Medical Mystery 2:59 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Madeline Takes a Fall Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Madeline Takes a Fall 2:35 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Shovel Showdown Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Shovel Showdown 2:48 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Ernest's Escape Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Ernest's Escape 2:35 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Madeline's Revenge Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Madeline's Revenge 2:58 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Friends Forever Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - Friends Forever 1:18 Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - At Home With Helen Death Becomes Her: Official Clip - At Home With Helen 1:54 View more videos

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Death Becomes Her

Death Becomes Her (1992) Death Becomes Her (1992) Death Becomes Her (1992) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When a novelist loses her man to a movie star and former friend, she winds up in a psychiatric hospital. Years later, she returns home to confront the now-married couple, looking radiant. Her ex-husband's new wife wants to know her secret, and discovers that she has been taking a mysterious drug which grants eternal life to the person who drinks it. The actress follows suit, but discovers that immortality has a price.
Director
Robert Zemeckis
Producer
Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis
Screenwriter
Martin Donovan, David Koepp
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Fantasy, Comedy, Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 31, 1992, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 17, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$58.4M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo