Customer Reviews
atmospheric - By: Ms. F. I. Macdonald, 22 Jun 2008 
I'd watched half of this film a while back but for some reason had never bothered to finish it, I'm so consumed with watching films that sometimes i trip over myself in eagerness to watch as many as possible, resulting in missing out on half the storylines!!This film was a brilliant, edgy thriller based on Jekyll & Hyde with Julia Roberts as the shy & naive maid whom fnds out about the Dr's weird & wacky disease. A very interesting concept & some great performances from Roberts & Malkovich whom happens to be one of my favourites. Well worth the watch on a windy & scary night.
A Twist on the Classic Horror Film - By: M. A. Ramos, 06 Oct 2007 This movie has an interesting twist on the classic horror film. We are able to watch what transpires within the story of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde from the view of a chambermaid's perspective. This chambermaid, Mary Reilly, is played quite well by Julia Roberts. Mary Reilly is a poor girl who had a horrible childhood & feels the safety of security brought about by working in the house of a rich & distinguished doctor. Of course unlike normal servants of the time, she is able to read & becomes very inquisitive about her masters business. Mr. John Malkovich does a perfect job of showing the ongoing conflict between good & evil contained within each of us in his portrayal of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. As the good doctor he is a kindly man of science. But as Mr. Hyde alll his inhabitations are gone, as are his morals & conscience.
This film takes the horror film & turns into a film that keeps you suspended in the dark as you watch the mystery unfold for the chambermaid. The movie is not a true classic horror film or one of the modern films of gore. Do not expect to be frighten & do not be surprised when the audience seems to be the only ones that can see it is obvious that Dr. Jekyll is Mr. Hyde. Other then that, both leads give a satisfactory performance & the film is worth watching.
DARK, DISMAL AND DOWNRIGHT BORING - By: L. Wilson, 29 Jul 2007 
A great disappointment, I am a huge fan of Julia Roberts & have come to expect far better from her. One cannot deny that she tried with the limited script she was given but at her level of popularity she could be a lot more choosey in the rolls she portrays. John Malkovich plays two parts, his Dr. Jeckyll is very good but his Mr. Hyde is weak & far less malevolent than George Coles` butler. Kathy Staff does well as the house keeper/cook but was far more convincing in "Last of the Summer Wine". All in alll a very poor show alll round.
"He came out of the dark like he was made of it." - By: Mary Whipple, 04 Jan 2005 In the great tradition of Gothic horror films, Mary Reilly updates the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novella, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. The screenplay by Christopher Hampton, from the novel by Valerie Martin, changes the focus from the bizarre transformation of Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde, his evil alterego, & creates instead a tension-filled relationship between the dark & "misunderstood" Dr. Jekyll & his young & proper housemaid, Mary Reilly. Despite (or perhaps because of) the abuse she has suffered at the hands of her father, Mary does not run from Dr. Jekyll, though she always seems fearful. He confides in her about his research & gives her a sense of value which she does not receive from any other source.
Julia Roberts as the very repressed Mary, plays most of the film through her expressive eyes, which reveal her fear & her moods. Little dialogue is necessary, as John Malkevich, as both Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, sneers, threatens, & dissembles, while also conveying a vulnerability to which Mary Reilly responds. The cast of other house servants is outstanding, but Glenn Close as the off-the-walll madam Mrs. Farraday, steals the show, playing the role in her nastiest Cruella DeVille mode. The Victorian setting is beautifully conveyed, from the claustrophic interiors of the bawdy house to the stark black & white interior of Jekyll's laboratory, & the costuming reflects the same color palette.
The cinematography takes advantage of architectural components, filming from above catwalks in Dr. Hyde's laboratory, through windows, around doorways & hallls, & from under tables. Additional scenes of dark, foggy weather are used to great advantage as a contrast to the brightness & butchery in the markets, hospital autopsy rooms, & Mrs. Farraday's accommodations.
The psychological portrait of Dr. Jekyll & his "evil twin," Mr. Hyde have been discussed for over a hundred years, & this film does not add anything new to that portrait. The inclusion of Mary Reilly, however, is a new twist, one which might have been more believable if her own psychological motivation for remaining in Dr. Jekyll's household had been more fully developed. The special effects as Dr. Jekyll wrestles with his inner demon are compelling & unique, but the ending just peters out, offering no emotional resolution or intellectual conclusion regarding Mary Reilly. Great fun for fans of Gothic horror. Mary Whipple
Brilliant! - By: , 05 Aug 2004 
When i first saw the title for this film i assumed that it would be another soppy love story but it isn't! Bith Julia & John are amazing actors & reallly do work well together! I now have this film on DVD, VHS & BOOK! I love the darkness & cockiness of Edward Hyde & the honest but shyful Mary Reilly! A must own film!
