critics consensus

A disturbing concept marred by graceless execution, Boxing Helena is a psychosexual drama that proves more tedious than provocative. Read critic reviews

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Boxing Helena Photos

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Movie Info

A rich surgeon (Julian Sands) operates on the object of his obsession, his grotesquely disfigured aloof neighbor (Sherilyn Fenn).

Rating:

R
Genre:

drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

Jennifer Chambers Lynch
Producer:

Carl Mazzocone, Philippe Caland
Box Office (Gross USA):

$1.2M
Runtime:

1h 47m
Sound Mix:

Stereo, Surround

Cast & Crew

Julian Sands
Dr. Nick Cavanaugh

Sherilyn Fenn
Helena

Bill Paxton
Ray O'Malley

Kurtwood Smith
Dr. Alan Harrison

Betsy Clark
Anne Garrett

Nicolette Scorsese
Fantasy Lover , Nurse

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Critic Reviews for Boxing Helena

All Critics (35) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (6) | Rotten (29)

Both the beauty and her beastly pursuer remain too blankly generic for the implications of the movie's main metaphor to come through vividly.

May 30, 2019 | Full Review…

Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
'Boxing Helena'' is a bad film - with terrible acting, cliched dialogue, a silly script, pedestrian camera work and inferior direction.

June 12, 2018 | Full Review…

Dolores Barclay
Associated Press
Quote not available.

September 7, 2011 | Rating: C- | Full Review…

Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
It's probably just as well that last-minute dropouts Kim Basinger or Madonna didn't take the title role, as the presence of a star lurking powerlessly on the little platform no doubt would have been distracting and more laughable than it [is] now.

February 8, 2008 | Full Review…

Variety Staff
Variety
Grotesquely misconceived.

June 24, 2006 | Full Review…

Time Out
Fairly provocative and not nearly as bad as critics claimed when it was released, but still intellectually half-baked.

September 17, 2005 | Rating: 2/5

Dan Fienberg
Zap2it.com
Instead of the grotesque sexual humiliation of Kim Basinger we were all hoping for, we get schoolgirl surrealism.

July 25, 2018 | Full Review…

Vanessa Letts
The Spectator
Take one peak into the shoddy, tasteless Boxing Helena, and you'll realize why Madonna and Kim Basinger bailed out of the title role.

April 18, 2018 | Full Review…

Owen McNally
Hartford Courant
Quote not available.

April 5, 2008 | Rating: 1/5

Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
[An] ambitious but unsuccessful curiosity.

February 8, 2008 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

TV Guide
It is curious that Lynch, having taken so many visual cues from her father, has an inadequate grasp of this compassion. The paralyzing obsession that permeates many of her father's works, on the other hand, she comprehends well.

October 30, 2007 | Full Review…

Rumsey Taylor
Not Coming to a Theater Near You
Prior to its world premiere at Sundance, Boxing Helena, the debut of David Lynch's daughter Jennifer, was the hottest film in the festival; two hours later, the movie was dead.

May 2, 2006 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

View All Critic Reviews (35)

Audience Reviews for Boxing Helena

Feb 06, 2010

I do not care what anybody says about this film. I think it is a rare gem....a surreal allegorical trip into a nightmarish world of obsession, insecurity & ego-crisis. Yes, indeed....Jennifer Lynch really IS Daddy's little girl!! *****5 out of 5 stars*****

mirabella 1 Super Reviewer
Jun 17, 2008

So much potential, wasted.

Anthony V Super Reviewer
Apr 04, 2008

What a piece of s**t! I had kind of high expectations when I started to watch this, sine I love Sherilyn Fenn and Julian Sands otherwise. But this was just pathetic. Julian Sands fails misserably at trying to speak with an american accent. Sure Sherilyn Fenn looks hot as always, but that doesn't help much when you got a hack directing.

The M Super Reviewer
Feb 04, 2008

Sure it's weird, but it wasn't all that entertaining. Like if David Lynch's daughter made a film... wait a minute. Paxton's great though.

Christopher B Super Reviewer