Lady in the Water

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Lady in the Water

PG-13

2006

1h 50m

Fantasy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

25%

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212 Reviews

49%

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250,000+ Ratings

When Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) rescues an enigmatic young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) from danger, little does he know that she is a character from a bedtime story, who is trying to return to her world. As he falls deeply in love with her, he begins to realize that he and fellow tenants are also characters in the fable, and they must work together to protect her from those who would prevent her from returning home.

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Critics Consensus

A far-fetched story with little suspense and unconvincing scenarios, Lady In The Water feels contrived, pretentious, and rather silly.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Still, the multicultural cast is fun, the images have a painterly beauty and there are some beguiling comic touches before the story sinks into a swamp of solemn metaphysical glop.

Feb 6, 2018

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Brian Tallerico

UGO

It's a fairy tale that never flies the way it should.

Mar 24, 2007

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Roger Ebert

RogerEbert.com

[Perhaps it's] improvised and protracted, nonsensically and unnecessarily, just for the sake of stringing us along. And, maybe, putting us to sleep.

Rated: 1.5/4

Sep 13, 2006

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Rory Doherty

InSession Film

If you watch Lady in the Water, I don’t think you’ll get the feeling that Shyamalan loves his craft. He just loves that he made it.

Jun 17, 2024

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Jonathan Weber

Out Magazine

Nothing works in this film; it’s boring and incomprehensible, laughable when it should be inspiring.

May 25, 2022

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Sergio Benítez

Espinof

Shyamalan proves once again to be a filmmaker who knows how to take advantage of some highly ridiculous scenarios and situations. [Full Review in Spanish]

Apr 16, 2020

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R M

You can see why people hate it. A leap of faith in the story. Over and over again. Perhaps the people who love it see the enlightenment of all the characters. The author doesn’t write that. You have to presume it. The apartment building shares love….strange in this world. The base story is awesome. The writing is excellent. The acting very good. Not for everyone. A movie kids should watch as the message is clear.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/25

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Audience Member

A very underated, original story that has aged well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/15/25

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Jens B

It's easy to make fun of "Lady in the Water": for many, the film represents the beginning of the once-lauded director's troubled phase, which continues to this day. One might perceive "Lady in the Water" as an unsympathetic ego project by a financially extremely successful young director with Icarus syndrome (just think of the unnecessarily large budget or the split with Disney). But "Lady in the Water" also contains an interesting attempt to unite magic and dull reality. And ultimately, "Lady in the Water" is clearly a children's film; a fairy tale that unfortunately focuses on the wrong things to be truly interesting to children. And so the film is left with no other fate than to be laughed at. Perhaps deservedly so, since the little boy predicts the future of the ancient culture of the water girl from the sacred text of the cereal boxes.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/28/25

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Carlos I

Ya know... it's really not as bad as I remembered. M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water gets pretty silly at times, with its convoluted mythology and questionable character choices, but there's an undeniable, almost childlike charm to this unique, if flawed, fairy tale.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/06/25

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Lloyd S

One of the worst movie by shyamalan. Incomprehensible and not engaging. I'm certain now that he had luck with the sixth sense, his movies so far are awful.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/01/25

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Tyler G

Wtf fever dream nonsense was that? Absolutely awful. One of the worst, least comprehensible movies I have ever watched.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/17/25

Full Review

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M. Night Shyamalan

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Paul Giamatti

Cleveland Heep

Bryce Dallas Howard

Story

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Synopsis

When Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) rescues an enigmatic young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) from danger, little does he know that she is a character from a bedtime story, who is trying to return to her world. As he falls deeply in love with her, he begins to realize that he and fellow tenants are also characters in the fable, and they must work together to protect her from those who would prevent her from returning home.

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Producer: M. Night Shyamalan, Sam Mercer
Screenwriter: M. Night Shyamalan
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Bros., Legendary Pictures, Blinding Edge Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Frightening Sequences)
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 21, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 4, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $42.3M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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