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Sleeping With the Enemy

Play trailer Poster for Sleeping With the Enemy R 1991 1h 39m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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24% Tomatometer 38 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
After faking her death in order to flee from her violent husband, Martin (Patrick Bergin), Laura Burney (Julia Roberts) leaves Cape Cod and moves to Iowa, where she adopts a new identity and starts dating a local teacher, Ben Woodward (Kevin Anderson). Martin, meanwhile, unearths evidence suggesting that she isn't dead, and when her mother confirms this, he tracks her to Iowa. He finds Laura and Ben and confronts them, forcing her to fight for her life once again.
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Sleeping With the Enemy

Sleeping With the Enemy

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Critics Consensus

A game Julia Roberts gives it her all, but Sleeping with the Enemy is one stalker thriller that's unlikely to inspire many obsessions of its own.

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Critics Reviews

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Joe Clay The Times (UK) 09/22/2022
A melodramatic showdown... Go to Full Review Jack Kroll Newsweek 10/18/2008
Sleeping With the Enemy is a flat tire of a movie. Looks good -- white sidewalls, chrome spokes -- but it flaps and clunks and never gets to vroom. Go to Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 02/08/2008
It's the sort of movie where all of the characters and plot moves (if one wants to call them that) are tailored to the thriller mechanics and have no existence apart from their crude functionality. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 07/21/2024
6/10
One of the great cautionary tales in cinema, boasting an excellent performance by Roberts and a satisfying (if protracted) finale. Go to Full Review Joe Lipsett Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network 12/01/2022
3.5/5
Sleeping with the Enemy is an extremely over the top 'woman in peril' film that stars Julia Roberts' magnificent locks and Patrick Bergin's exquisite moustache. It's lurid, but this domestic abuse thriller holds up on a rewatch. Go to Full Review Brian D. Johnson Maclean's Magazine 01/27/2020
Roberts evokes sympathy, not just for playing the victim of an unforgivably bad husband, but for becoming the victim of an unforgivably bad movie. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Joel H Dec 12 The only thing that sets Sleeping with the Enemy apart from a clichéd Lifetime original movie is the fact that Julia Roberts is in it. I couldn’t get over the fact that every performance in this 90s thriller is either lifeless or overly melodramatic. Patrick Bergin has the crazy eyes down pat, but the way he delivers lines was just so wooden. Even though there are moments of suspense, most of the film is just filler, and the very convenient ways the plot advanced made me chuckle. I didn’t hate Sleeping with the Enemy, I’m just having a difficult time understanding why it did so well at the box office. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Aug 2 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Raquel E @raquelea Jul 20 What starts as a powerful escape from abuse quickly loses its voice. Instead of leaning into her growth or resilience, the plot shifts into a rushed romance that dilutes the impact. Julia Roberts carries the role, but the film misses the chance to be truly empowering. See more Brenda R May 1 It's one of the best thrillers I have watched in several decades. It kept me glued to my seat at least the first five to six times watching it. See more Devra B @DeeBee27 Apr 18 I love this movie! What’s up with the low ratings? See more Janis E @JansEd Mar 16 This is such a good movie. It shows an inside look into domestic violence and how bad it can really get when a partner refuses to let go. The actors in this film do such an amazing job portraying these character's and they just pull you in as if you were actually there. If you like the suspense, thriller, & drama genre's, then you should definitely watch this movie. It has all of that and more. See more Read all reviews
Sleeping With the Enemy

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Cast & Crew

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Joseph Ruben

Director

Julia Roberts

Sara Waters

Patrick Bergin

Martin Burney

Kevin Anderson

Ben Woodward

Elizabeth Lawrence

Chloe Williams

Kyle Secor

Fleishman

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Sleeping With the Enemy

Sleeping With the Enemy (1991) Sleeping With the Enemy (1991) Sleeping With the Enemy (1991) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After faking her death in order to flee from her violent husband, Martin (Patrick Bergin), Laura Burney (Julia Roberts) leaves Cape Cod and moves to Iowa, where she adopts a new identity and starts dating a local teacher, Ben Woodward (Kevin Anderson). Martin, meanwhile, unearths evidence suggesting that she isn't dead, and when her mother confirms this, he tracks her to Iowa. He finds Laura and Ben and confronts them, forcing her to fight for her life once again.
Director
Joseph Ruben
Producer
Leonard Goldberg
Screenwriter
Ronald Bass
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
20th Century Fox
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 8, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 8, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$100.3M
Runtime
1h 39m
Sound Mix
Surround
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