The Hours

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The Hours

PG-13

Released Dec 27, 2002

1h 54m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

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196 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

"The Hours" is the story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are linked by their yearnings and their fears. Their stories intertwine, and finally come together in a surprising, transcendent moment of shared recognition.

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Critics Consensus

The movie may be a downer, but it packs an emotional wallop. Some fine acting on display here.

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Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

Autostraddle

Even as it jumps between 20th century decades, The Hours is intensely, almost upsettingly linear. A lot like life.

Mar 20, 2024

Full Review

Charlotte O'Sullivan

Independent (UK)

It's a must-see. Mainstream epics routinely privilege the father-son bond... In The Hours, patriarchs barely figure, and the only phallic weapon on display is Virginia's pen.

Nov 15, 2017

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Smart, thoughtful movie for older teens and up.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 28, 2010

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Carla Monfort

Espinof

Few movies depict depression as well, it's subtle and truthful, without overloading it dramatically even though it touches upon suicide and other complicated subjects... [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Aug 15, 2022

Full Review

David Reddish

Queerty

Loaded with rich dialogue, magnificent performances and a delicate score by Philip Glass, The Hours reminds us how movies can touch and reflect our lives. For the characters that embrace love and truth, life offers joy and hope.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 20, 2022

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

Self-involved and self-important to a dangerously high degree ...

Feb 16, 2021

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Jacob B

A show case for several fantastic actress to do what they do best. However, they all deserve a better vehicle than this overly maudlin and self important film that has not very much to say other than Virginia Wolfe’s depression made its way into a book she wrote, a book that ended up in the hands of a mid twentieth century housewife who is also depressed, and her depression effects her son who is now a grown up in the early twenty first century and he is not only depressed and angry, he’s also dying of AIDS. And, well, that’s about it. Three people in three eras sit around and talk to family about…depression…and flowers. This conceit can be magical on the page of a book, but on screen it’s death, a beautiful kind of death, but never the less, it’s death. Besides the actresses, the photography and music are quite dazzling as is the set design. So much talent wasted on such a weak story.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/05/25

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Robert C

Probably one of the most boring, agonising few hours I have ever spent in the movie house. I wanted to leave after 20 minutes, but kept telling myself that it can only get better. Right? Wrong. The quicksand of despair had its grip, and slowly dragged me under.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

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Ashley M

The Hours is almost a relic of a bygone era of premium cinema. The story is intense, almost awful, as are some of the main characters, but the film itself is a thing of beauty and is thus art. I miss these films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/20/24

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Jayne H

absolutely a brilliant thought provoking film! acting was unbelievable, highly recommend!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/14/24

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A R

Great actors (many) at the top of their game. A beautifully written, intelligent, original and sensitive screenplay. Amazing editing. Beautiful photography. The people that gave bad reviews don't know what cinema is, all they know is the usual Hollywood formula.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/30/24

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Irene M

Don't think I ever saw this before, although the scenes of Julianne Moore baking a cake seem really familiar. Watched after just finishing reading "Mrs Dalloway". Who *wasn't* in this cast? Although I really enjoyed it, I could see why it may not have been popular at the time...the opening scenes cut amongst the different time periods so quicky one could easily lose viewers. I wouldn't call it a bio pic of Virginia Woolf, but I did enjoy the connection between the first and the second, and the second and the third. Fine acting!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/18/24

Full Review

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Stephen Daldry

Director

Meryl Streep

Clarissa Vaughan

Julianne Moore

Laura Brown

Nicole Kidman

Virginia Woolf

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Synopsis

"The Hours" is the story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are linked by their yearnings and their fears. Their stories intertwine, and finally come together in a surprising, transcendent moment of shared recognition.

Director: Stephen Daldry
Producer: Scott Rudin
Screenwriter: Michael Cunningham, David Hare
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Miramax Films, Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Mature Thematic Elements|Brief Language|Some Disturbing Images)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 27, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $41.6M
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo

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