Sleeping With the Enemy

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Sleeping With the Enemy

R

Released Feb 8, 1991

1h 39m

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

24%

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38 Reviews

60%

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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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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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Joe Clay

Times (UK)

A melodramatic showdown...

Sep 22, 2022

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

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Jack Kroll

Newsweek

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.

Oct 18, 2008

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

One of the great cautionary tales in cinema, boasting an excellent performance by Roberts and a satisfying (if protracted) finale.

Rated: 6/10

Jul 21, 2024

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Joe Lipsett

Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network

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.

Rated: 3.5/5

Dec 1, 2022

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Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

Roberts evokes sympathy, not just for playing the victim of an unforgivably bad husband, but for becoming the victim of an unforgivably bad movie.

Jan 27, 2020

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Devra B

I love this movie! What’s up with the low ratings?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/18/25

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Janis E

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.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

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Jen O

Great film movie and worthy of a much higher rating

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/24/25

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Ollie W

Feels like a TV movie, only really elevated by Julia Robert’s. The guy she hooks up with is handsome, which makes the love-story element watchable. All the acting is fine but the storyline is just too basic for this movie to be anything above average.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

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Abi B

Great movie, watched it several times and will watch it several more. Not taking away from Julia as she is an exceptional actress but Patrick Bergin deserves credit too, he have me the chills in this movie. LAURAAAAAAAA

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/10/24

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Valerie D

I absolutely love this movie - I love rooting for Laura! All the actors played their part so wonderfully. You believe Julia is surviving DV and Patrick is really a MONSTER of epic proportion. A 90s classic worth watching.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/18/24

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Joseph Ruben

Director

Julia Roberts

Sara Waters

Patrick Bergin

Martin Burney

Kevin Anderson

Ben Woodward

Elizabeth Lawrence

Chloe Williams

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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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