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Asylum

R Released Aug 12, 2005 1h 36m Drama List
36% Tomatometer 91 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
An administrator's bored wife (Natasha Richardson) begins a torrid affair with an institutionalized artist (Marton Csokas) who beat his wife to death.
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Asylum

Asylum

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Critics Consensus

This catastrophic adaptation of Patrick McGrath's novel gets sillier and more implausible as it goes along.

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Critics Reviews

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Roger Moore Orlando Sentinel Asylum had promise. But it's bad enough to make one wonder just who had the loose screws -- the characters, or the people who filmed them? Rated: 2/5 Sep 16, 2005 Full Review Tom Long Detroit News Patrick McGrath's screenplay, based on his novel, has moments big and small, delivered in appropriate dollops of awfulness. Rated: B- Sep 16, 2005 Full Review Terry Lawson Detroit Free Press It's a movie you fall for or you don't, and like Stella, I am not ashamed I did. Rated: 3/4 Sep 16, 2005 Full Review Kaleem Aftab The List What could have been an interesting horror character study... is destroyed by tortuously labored dialogue and a sluggish pace. Rated: 1/5 Apr 26, 2019 Full Review Anton Bitel Eye for Film offers a bleak vision of the Fifties, where an outbreak of passion or an artistic impulse would be quickly subjected, like any other madness, to containment. Jul 2, 2007 Full Review Prairie Miller Long Island Press A little like Jack the Ripper in outer space. Mar 26, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (30) audience reviews
ashley h Asylum is an okay film. It is about a woman who becomes very curious about one of her psychiatrist husband's inmates. Natasha Richardson and Sean Harris give decent performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. David Mackenzie did an alright job directing. I liked the motion picture because of the drama and romance. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member I liked it ok I guess. I watch a ton of movies and this is the second movie I have ever watched that I truly hated a character. My God that woman was pathetic. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review william s I like Richardson's tragic performance but otherwise this film is just out there as far as the script. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Mostly watched for Sir Ian who probably saved this movie. If you like unnecessary eroticism, confusing rape scenes. completely unsympathetic characters and stiff acting then you'll love this movie. Many points are left unclear or completely unexplained expecting the viewer to completely suspend their belief and just go along with it. For a drama that takes itself so seriously that's a ridiculous request. The character I was most interested in had a grand whopping total of about three minutes of screen time and then disappeared forever. You can safely pass this movie up. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member 85% "Leave me alone."-Stella Raphael (Natasha Richardson) Is the world not an asylum? Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Asylum

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Cast & Crew

The 24th Day 27% 58% The 24th Day Things Behind the Sun 100% 78% Things Behind the Sun Self-Medicated 37% 52% Self-Medicated Closer 68% 81% Closer This Girl's Life 50% 44% This Girl's Life Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis An administrator's bored wife (Natasha Richardson) begins a torrid affair with an institutionalized artist (Marton Csokas) who beat his wife to death.
Director
David Mackenzie
Producer
David E. Allen, Laurie Borg
Screenwriter
Patrick Marber, Patrick McGrath
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Zephyr Films
Rating
R (Strong Sexuality|Some Violence|Brief Language)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 12, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$374.9K
Runtime
1h 36m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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