Lady in the Water

Play trailer

Lady in the Water

PG-13

Released Jul 21, 2006

1h 50m

Fantasy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

25%

Tomatometer

212 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

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

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

UGO

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

Mar 24, 2007

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Jonathan Weber

Out Magazine

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

May 25, 2022

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

thiago s

Filme ruim, o roteiro é ruim, o elenco não fez porra nenhuma nas cenas, a história não foi interessante e nem os personagens melhoraram o filme, e nem essa porra de dama da água vai se fude.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/28/25

Full Review

Lee R

One of my favorite movies of all time. Have watched over 10 times.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/25

Full Review

David F

M.Night is an amazing writer, Lady in the Water is in my eyes his best writing , the cast were fantastic, I'm a huge fan of M.Night Shyamalan and all his stories /movies are brilliant amazing and very imaginative.the movie can teach you a lot of you pay attention, M.Night Shyamalan do you're thing, you're an amazing writer great actor and have one beautiful imaginative mind. I love your work. Lady in the Water is with our a doubt my all time favorite movie.. David J. Federico

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

M. Night Shyamalan

Director

Paul Giamatti

Cleveland Heep

Bryce Dallas Howard

Story

Jeffrey Wright

Mr. Dury

Bob Balaban

Harry Farber

Sarita Choudhury

Anna Ran

Ondine

70%

60%

Ondine

Watchlist

The Tempest

31%

28%

The Tempest

Watchlist

One Fall

10%

62%

One Fall

Watchlist

Collateral Beauty

14%

64%

Collateral Beauty

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Collateral Beauty

The Shack

20%

76%

The Shack

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Shack

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Trailer Bulletin: The Happening

Mark Wahlberg to Star in Shyamalan’s "Happening"

2006 Razzie Awards Announced; "Basic Instinct 2" Leads the Pack

View more photos

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)

Most Popular at Home Now