Stephanie Daley

R

Released Jan 21, 2006

1h 31m

Drama

List

90%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

59%

Audience Score

25,000+ Ratings

Forensic psychologist Lydie Crane (Tilda Swinton), who once had a stillbirth and is pregnant again, takes on a personally difficult case. She must examine Stephanie Daley (Amber Tamblyn), a teenager who is about to stand trial for the murder of her newborn. Flashbacks reveal Stephanie's past, as the teen recounts her version of events leading to her pregnancy, her labor and her infant's death.

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Critics Consensus

The premise has all the trappings of melodrama, but the excellent performances give the characters complexity and empathy.

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

Brougher films with a sharp-eyed, vulnerable, yet combative sense of symbolism that nonetheless sticks close to the drama's physical specifics.

Mar 28, 2021

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Thought-provoking and mesmerising.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 21, 2007

Full Review

Walter V. Addiego

San Francisco Chronicle

The acting is uniformly on a high level. Tamblyn is impressive, and Swinton, as usual, is outstanding.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 22, 2007

Full Review

Jenny Peters

Hollywood.com

Rated: 3/5

Nov 20, 2008

Full Review

Heather Huntington

ReelzChannel.com

Stephanie Daley stands out for Amber Tamblyn's (The Grudge 2, Joan of Arcadia) unbelievable performance in the title role.

Rated: 7/10

Aug 26, 2008

Full Review

Karina Longworth

Cinematical

There's a rawness to [it]...it paints slick composition and beautiful, bleeding color on the kind of story about sex and faith that no one has told well in a while.

Feb 1, 2008

Full Review

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Audience Member

Wonderful choice of cast. Typical indie with the story of teen pregnancy and the struggles with self and family. Certain disturbing scenes that made me uncomfortable to watch.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A civilization is known by how well it treats its children and America treats it's the worse, as is shown by this deplorable look into teenage pregnancy in the USA. The depth of anguish and lives ruined permanently is well acted causing one to weep and then scream at the screen. Unobtrusively photographed, allowing the actors to penetrate your mindset. Nibbles: Glenfiddich (whole bottle).

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Emotionally-gripping and thought-provoking.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is an incredibly strong though slow moving film that is all at once intense and withdrawn. Amber Tamblyn is again powerful in this role though the real focus of the film is on Forensic Psychologist Lydie Crane (Tilda Swinton in a composed and heartfelt performance). Lydie is pregnant and after her last pregnancy resulting in a stillborn child she has her worries this time around. She is also dealing with fidelity issues with her husband and attempting to uncover the truth about Stephanie's child at the same time. My only qualm with this film was the ending. I felt disappointed as though the ending was rushed and there were still questions unanswered, but despite that I was drawn into this film and enjoyed the solid characters and plots.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

not for anyone, not for those who need special effects or to be blasted from the chair by action or violence... for a mature audience even though the message is about the kids the movie is for their parents, to change how sex is taught in school...I love intelligent movies!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Disturbing. Not something I would watch again, but still incredibly thought-provoking.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

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Hilary Brougher

Director

Tilda Swinton

Lydie Crane

Amber Tamblyn

Stephanie Daley

Timothy Hutton

Paul

Denis O'Hare

Frank

Jim Gaffigan

Joe

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Synopsis

Forensic psychologist Lydie Crane (Tilda Swinton), who once had a stillbirth and is pregnant again, takes on a personally difficult case. She must examine Stephanie Daley (Amber Tamblyn), a teenager who is about to stand trial for the murder of her newborn. Flashbacks reveal Stephanie's past, as the teen recounts her version of events leading to her pregnancy, her labor and her infant's death.

Director: Hilary Brougher
Producer: Sean Costello, Lynette Howell Taylor, Samara Koffler, Jen Roskind
Screenwriter: Hilary Brougher
Production Co: Redbone Films, Silverwood Films
Rating: R (Sexual Content|Disturbing Material|Language|Involving Teen Pregnancy)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 21, 2006, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.1K
Runtime: 1h 31m

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