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

The Times (UK)

A melodramatic showdown...

Sep 22, 2022

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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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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

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.

Feb 8, 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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thiago s

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

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/02/25

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Raquel E

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.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

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Brenda R

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.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/01/25

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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

Full Review

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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

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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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