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Hush

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2:26

Hush

PG-13

Released Mar 6, 1998

1h 35m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

12%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

34%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Jackson (Johnathon Schaech) and Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow) are in love and about to have their first child when they move in with Jackson's mother, Martha (Jessica Lange), in order to take care of the family estate. But all is not well in this household. Martha is jealous of her son's affection for Helen, and, despite her Southern smile, she's starting to act strangely. As Helen tries to create a happy home life, Martha attempts to divide the family so that Jackson will become hers alone.

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Critics Consensus

A ridiculous but wholly predictable potboiler with performances ranging from comatose to hysterical.

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Mike Clark

USA Today

Hush is recycled junk - campy fun at times but total trash.

Rated: 1.5/4

Jan 9, 2018

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

Hush is gussied up by its classy distaff cast members, but remains trashy all the same.

Mar 26, 2009

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Jessica Lange establishes a spark of interest in this psychological thriller with her giggly demonic performance. But the film never adds up to anything more than an elaborate tease.

Oct 4, 2007

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Gary Wolcott

Tri-City Herald

Lange is simply an awesome actress and has so much fun in this role, it makes Hush's drab story worth seeing.

Jan 24, 2023

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Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

The brand names seem trustworthy: Jessica Lange plays the deranged matriarch, Gwyneth Paltrow the pregnant bride. Both are fine actors, but they are stuck in a campy thriller that plays like a Lamaze-class remake of Mommie Dearest.

Oct 30, 2019

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Film4

The screenplay, by director Jonathan Darby and Jane Rusconi, might have prompted Lange to fly way over the top. Thankfully, she reins in her performance sufficiently to save the melodrama from becoming just another Whatever Happended To Baby Jane? lampoon.

Nov 23, 2011

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Shannon F

I watched it because Jessica Lange plays a great crazy woman. Pretty predictable but not that bad. They could have done more with the ending.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/25

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Regina P

I'm just glad everyone who worked on this film got a nice paycheck for their labor. That's all I have for this film.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/24/24

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Paperback S

It's formulaic and predictable paint by the numbers, but passes the time.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

10/07/23

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Steve D

It is all too ridiculous and predictable to work.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/21/23

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Jerod S

Paltrow is the NYC girl taken to the farm where sugary sweet Lange is the mom that hugs her boy a little too tight. When Paltrow gets pregnant, it's clear that granny has some controlling motives that turn real scary.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

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Audience Member

Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Jackson (Johnathon Schaech) live in New York City, but after a trip to visit his mother Martha (Jessica Lange) a series of events cause them to move back to the family farm. Did Martha messing with Helen's contraceptives cause her to get pregnant? And why would Martha's mother-in-law Alice warned Helen about her? And how did that man break into the house, nearly assault Helen and slice her stomach without killing her unborn child? Martha soon shows up and says that she wants to sell the farm and Helen decides that they should move back to her husband's home and help. For his part. Jackson mentions that he has some issues, as he may have pushed his father down the steps to his death and that her dad was having an affair with Robin Hayes. If your marriage is getting like this, get out. Also, why did Jackson never investigate his father's death? Why did he come to his mom's in the middle of the night on a planned trip and not wake her up when they got there? Why does Lange never not have a glass of wine and a cigarette? This film sat on the shelf for some time, as it was recut after bad screenings. The original version cut had a climatic fight between the two ladies with one dying. I leave it up to you if all the work to fix this movie was worth it. Jonathan Darby has only directed one short since this movie. He made the kind of movie that the person you are dating would find at Blockbuster, hold up and say, "I love this movie" and you wonder where your life has gone wrong and why you're in a relationship with this person.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

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Jonathan Darby

Director

Jessica Lange

Martha Baring

Gwyneth Paltrow

Helen Baring

Johnathon Schaech

Jackson Baring

Nina Foch

Alice Baring

Debi Mazar

Lisa

Boys

15%

26%

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Hush: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Jackson (Johnathon Schaech) and Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow) are in love and about to have their first child when they move in with Jackson's mother, Martha (Jessica Lange), in order to take care of the family estate. But all is not well in this household. Martha is jealous of her son's affection for Helen, and, despite her Southern smile, she's starting to act strangely. As Helen tries to create a happy home life, Martha attempts to divide the family so that Jackson will become hers alone.

Director: Jonathan Darby
Producer: Douglas Wick
Screenwriter: Jonathan Darby, Jonathan Darby, Jane Rusconi
Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Production Co: TriStar Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Sensuality|Brief Strong Language|Some Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 6, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 25, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.5M
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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