Watch Mary Reilly
- R
- 1996
- 1 hr 48 min
-
5.8 (15,865)
Mary Reilly is a psychological horror drama film from 1996 based on the novel by Valerie Martin. The movie follows the story of Mary Reilly, a young Irish maid who works at the household of Dr. Jekyll and his sinister counterpart, Mr. Hyde. The movie starts with Mary Reilly, played by Julia Roberts, as a shy and reserved young woman, who struggles to lead a normal life. She's taken in by the respectable Dr. Henry Jekyll, played by John Malkovich, who takes an interest in her welfare and provides her with employment as a maid. However, as Mary starts to get more involved in the work of the house, she becomes increasingly intrigued by the strange and unsettling behavior of her employer.
Jekyll, a brilliant physician and scientist, is working on a new drug which he believes can separate the good parts of human nature from its darker aspects. His experiments with the chemical compound lead him to create an alter ego named Mr. Hyde, a violent and unpredictable persona.
As Mary gets closer to both Jekyll and Hyde, she becomes the confidante of the latter, who shares with her his deepest and darkest secrets. She starts to uncover the true nature of Jekyll's experiments and the lengths he is willing to go to in order to achieve his goals.
The movie is an eerie and atmospheric depiction of a classic story, with a focus on the psychological implications of the characters. Julia Roberts delivers a strong performance as Mary Reilly, a character that is both fragile and determined, and John Malkovich brings to life the complicated and alluring character of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.
The supporting cast, including George Cole who plays Jekyll's loyal butler, provide the perfect mix of tension and comic relief. The film also features stunning visuals and an unsettling score, which heightens the sense of foreboding and unease, while perfectly capturing the eerie atmosphere of late 19th century London.
Mary Reilly is not just a horror film, but a complex psychological drama, which delves into the innermost workings of the human psyche. It's a gripping and haunting story that explores the themes of duality, identity, and the hidden aspects of our personalities. The film is a must-see for anyone who appreciates intelligent and thought-provoking cinema.
Mary Reilly is a 1996 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 48 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8 and a MetaScore of 44.