Beloved

R

Released Oct 16, 1998

2 hr. 52 min.

History

Drama

List

72%

127 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1873 Ohio, Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) is a mother of three haunted by her horrific slavery past and her desperate actions for freedom. As a result, Sethe's home is haunted by a furious poltergeist, which drives away her two sons. Sethe and her daughter (Kimberly Elise) endure living with the spirit for 10 more years, until an old friend, Paul D. Garner (Danny Glover), arrives to run it out. After Garner moves in, a strange woman named Beloved (Thandie Newton) enters their lives, causing turmoil.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Sep 06

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Hulu

Prime Video

Apple TV

Watch Beloved with a subscription on Hulu, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

A powerful, emotional and successful film adaptation of the original novel.

Read Critics Reviews

Jerod S

Portions of Beloved gave chilling insight to slavery and all the things that come with it. Other parts felt like Jodie Foster in Nell. Other parts seemed to be a rabbit trail that took our eyes off Oprah's family and the central action of the story.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/23/23

Full Review

Kyle N

This may have been one of the worst movies I have ever seen in my entire life, and I have watched many. The quality of the effects are very poor, even for a somewhat older movie. And the so-called "powerful" scenes occur too often and are badly delivered, whether that be the music or the use of slo-motion. Overall I would not recommend this film unless you are interested in wasting 2+ hours of your life. Terrible!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Steve D

Fans of the book will love it but the story has never worked for me.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I remember when Oprah was promoting this film. I had already read the book for school, so I knew it wasn't something I wanted to see on film. I have mostly forgotten the book's plot at this point, but I decided to finally check out the movie. Too weird for me.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie is one of most disturbing, disjointed illogical movies you’ll ever watch, or not. It is not a accurate historical drama, it is not a thought provoking social just drama, it is not a love story and it is not a suspenseful horror film. It is not worth your time

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/13/22

Full Review

Audience Member

This film and its source material are so disturbing and markedly non-commercial, it's amazing this film was ever made. All credit goes to Oprah, who put her name and money behind it, ensuring Beloved was created by talented people with utmost respect for the novel, and not sanitized or dumbed down. The result is a truly weird, visceral and moving piece of art unlike anything else put to film. Of course it is not as good as the book; no film could ever live up to Toni Morrison's work, but I'm glad they tried. It's a great adaptation that complements the novel nicely. If you want literary flourish, read the book, and watch the film for the excellent cinematography, costumes, and acting. It is great to see talented people in these roles, including an unforgettable turn by Thandie Newton in the title role. I'm still not sure I liked what she did with the role, but I know I'll never forget it. Of course the film is not perfect; the more internal psychological parts of the novel are lost in adaptation, while the pacing starts out slow and abruptly speeds up in the second half. But this horror/historical fiction hybrid is captivating all the way through with some truly unforgettable moments. I don't even mind the run time because it is so entrancing to watch. To me this is a very remarkable film, the kind that was an inevitable flop because it was far too intense and strange for mainstream audiences in the 1990s, but is an important piece of filmmaking nonetheless. It was ahead of its time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Jonathan Demme

Director

Oprah Winfrey

Sethe

Danny Glover

Paul D Garner

Thandiwe Newton

Beloved

Kimberly Elise

Denver

Beah Richards

Baby Suggs, aka Grandma Baby

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

65%

71%

Cradle Will Rock

87%

83%

Rosewood

64%

66%

Ride With the Devil

78%

79%

Amistad

TRAILER

for Amistad

70%

85%

Dangerous Beauty

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rank Thandie Newton’s 10 Best Movies

View more photos

Elvis Mitchell

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

It's a daring and provocative collection of ideas and heart that needed to be better, but still has something going for it.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 2, 2022

Full Review

Ann Hornaday

Baltimore Sun

The result is an extraordinary film that is always hypnotically watchable, even as it presents the audience with scenes of harrowing pain.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 2, 2022

Full Review

Ella Taylor

L.A. Weekly

Demme's Beloved is permanently heated to the boil. Rightly so, for the terrain of Toni Morrisons magisterial novel, on which the movie is based, is not the politics of slavery but its private agonies, the torture of evil turned inward against the self.

Feb 2, 2022

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

“Beloved” is easily one of the year’s best films. An emotionally intense motion picture.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 6, 2023

Full Review

Alison Macor

Austin American-Statesman

Beloved stumbles a bit during its first half-hour. The narrative smooths itself out, however, and finds a groove that makes the remaining 145 minutes barely noticeable. More important, the length proves absolutely essential in conveying Sethe's story.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 2, 2022

Full Review

Eleanor O'Sullivan

Asbury Park Press (NJ)

Demme is the right choice to direct Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel: He brings to the movie his humanism, his fascination with nature and the inexplicable, and his respect for actors. As Sethe, Winfrey has rare grace and strength.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 2, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

In 1873 Ohio, Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) is a mother of three haunted by her horrific slavery past and her desperate actions for freedom. As a result, Sethe's home is haunted by a furious poltergeist, which drives away her two sons. Sethe and her daughter (Kimberly Elise) endure living with the spirit for 10 more years, until an old friend, Paul D. Garner (Danny Glover), arrives to run it out. After Garner moves in, a strange woman named Beloved (Thandie Newton) enters their lives, causing turmoil.

Director: Jonathan Demme
Executive Producer: Ronald M. Bozman
Screenwriter: Toni Morrison, Akosua Busia, Richard LaGravenese, Adam Brooks
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Clinica Estetico
Rating: R
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 16, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 12, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $22.8M
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround

Most Popular at Home Now