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Mary Reilly (1996)

tomatometer

26

Average Rating: 4.3/10
Reviews Counted: 42
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 31

The movie looks good and has its moments. But, overall, the movie borders on boredom.

20

Average Rating: 4.5/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 8

The movie looks good and has its moments. But, overall, the movie borders on boredom.

audience

40

liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 20,032

My Rating

Movie Info

Based on the novel by Valerie Martin, this gothic suspense story offers a fresh perspective on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror tale Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by presenting the material from a different viewpoint -- that of Mary Reilly (Julia Roberts), an Irish servant girl who has come to work for esteemed surgeon Dr. Henry Jekyll (John Malkovich). Mary is fascinated but also intimidated by her new employer, while the doctor seems to take a personal interest in her that goes beyond mere

R, 1 hr. 48 min.

Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense

Christopher Hampton

Sep 12, 2000

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Cast

All Critics (46) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (31) | DVD (9)

The film is too mannered, too stuffy.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | Comment
San Francisco Chronicle
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Sluggish and interminable, Mary Reilly makes good on little of its potential to be disturbing and none of its chance to be emotionally involving.

February 14, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | Comment
Los Angeles Times
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Unfortunately, your response to the bizarre story of terror and lust that dare not speak their name is pretty well limited to Roberts' response -- which is, in turn, limited by her technique.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Detroit News | Comment
Detroit News
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A perversely courageous disaster that audiences will simply hate.

January 1, 2000 Comment
USA Today
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The story lacks purpose.

January 1, 2000 Comment
New Republic
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Director Frears seems more interested in the atmosphere than the narrative.

January 1, 2000 Comment
Houston Chronicle
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Certainly Julia Roberts' strangest role, and she does an OK job.

March 2, 2008 Comment
Video-Reviewmaster.com

[Roberts's] acting is of the Melrose Place/Andrew Shue variety, her eyes blank and mouth often agape (not unlike the photo of her used in the print ads).

December 28, 2004 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | Comment
TheMovieReport.com

If nothing else, proves that when you take Julia's lipstick away, much of her appeal goes, too.

May 25, 2003 Comment
Killer Movie Reviews

I have nightmares about being forced to sit through 'Mary Reilly' one more time.

January 12, 2003 Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | Comment
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Mary Reilly

instead of the usual first person perspective of stevenson's jekyll/hyde saga, herein the action is viewed from the eyes of a possibly abused country servant girl, well played by julia roberts (the absolute best i've ever seen her). moody atmospherics and a paced timing - not to mention the interesting "my boyfriend

December 4, 2010
moonrivers

Super Reviewer

Murky, mushy, glacially slow, and devoid of suspense, with one-note performances from the stars. Julia Roberts, unable to deploy her trademark smile, cowers like a scared rabbit, while John Malkovich inexplicably plays Jekyll and Hyde as looking and sounding almost exactly alike.

February 18, 2007
deano
Dean McKenna

Super Reviewer

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