Hysteria

  • 2012


MOVIE IS victorian romantic entertaining titillating delightful
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41 %
59 % Rotten
$ 9 Million
See Where to Watch Hysteria
Positive Reviews 71
Negative reviews 27
Average Rating 3.0/5
victorian romantic entertaining titillating delightful

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  • Positive
  • Negative
2.2
A broad period comedy that squanders a fascinating subject ... by refusing to see it from anything other than a modern, winking perspective. Av Club
4.2
Wexler makes a happy, sexually robust history lesson. And whenever Rupert Everett appears as a rich fellow who distinctly does not fancy ladies, its a .. EW
3.8
They try it on Mortimers afflicted area, a light bulb illuminates over Mortimers head, and the vibrator is invented. Rogerebert
3.0
Hysteria appeal to a much wider audience than something more intimate and direct, like Shame, but it also avoids an actual discourse on the topic. Common Sense Media
3.8
Her older sister, Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is the complete opposite, as shes a social reformer who argues for womens rights, much to Roberts dism .. We Got This Covered
2.0
Theres nothing strictly wrong with any of this, except for the fact that even a buttoned down period piece like Topsy Turvy feels sexier. Time Out
3.1
Which isnt to say that we dont form a relationship with these creatures.
3.1
Its happy to get the big facts broadly right, as long as its allowed to have a little fun with the rest.
2.5
Rather born to wear a frock coat, Dancy shares the stammer blush, winning grin methodology of countryman Hugh Grant, only with more probity and better ..
4.0
You may not get as much pleasure as some of Granvilles patients, but youll get a grownup thrill from watching a well thought out film. Paste Magazine
1.0
Tanya Wexlers staggeringly bad period comedy wears out its AA batteries fast, despite its teasing premise. Telegraph
2.5
Hysteria, with its period costumes and English accents, seems like a much better movie than it is. San Francisco Chronicle
3.0
Lightly humorous, well performed and not nearly as smutty as you might imagine. The earth may not move, but there are tingles of pleasure along the wa ..
3.0
Hysteria wont rock your world, but its a perfectly good stand in until something better comes along. Ny Daily News
3.5
More than anything, HYSTERIA will make a great date film for those who are too cool for WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOURE EXPECTING and, its one thats bound t .. JoBlo
1.3
Obviously a movie about the invention of the vibrator is going to have to approach the topic with humour, but ridiculing your main characters psycholo .. The Globe And Mail
2.8
While it has some amusing moments, the picture never really takes off. One Guys Opinion
1.5
Proceeds as a tedious, clumsy diddle, constantly reminding viewers how much progress has been made since the Victorian era. Village Voice
3.1
Director Tanya Wexler struggles to let much air into what could have been a delicious, winking farce. Rogers Movie Nation
3.1
Lack of character interaction dims the romance; the feeble climax doesnt justify the effort expended to get to that point. ReelViews
1.5
For a light entertainment, this romantic comedy delivers an impressive amount of feminist rhetoric and historical detail. Chicago Reader
3.5
Hysteria is a harmless lark that invites questions and curiosity about its subject which it is too uncommitted to address.
3.1
Despite its titillating subject matter, Hysteria is only mildly stimulating. Usa Today
1.9
The pervasively uninvolving atmosphere, which only grows more and more pronounced as time progresses, proves effective at transforming Hysteria into a .. Reel Film Reviews
3.2
Look, I know the histories of a lot of gynecological procedures.) Eric Ds Nider
3.0
The catalyst for the invention is Mortimers repetitive strain injury, one of the movies more clever gags. Shadows On The Wall
4.5
Hysteria is a fun fling of a movie about medical science at its shakiest. Literally. The Wrap
2.0
Hysteria is nicely played and has its fair share of decent moments, but the script struggles to find the right tone and its hard to escape the feeling .. View London
2.5
It certainly liberates Granville, but doesnt do much for women (aside from the obvious). News Day
2.8
Its as if they felt they had to work all that socially conscious stuff into the mix in order to justify the risqu humor. Cs Monitor
3.8
Hysteria, set in 1880s London, is a light comedy about a pretty dark time for the fairer sex. New York Post
1.5
The film giddily milks its gimmick for all its worth, which doesnt amount to a whole lot as real emotions, situations, wit and fully realized characte .. Film Journal International ..
2.5
This isnt to say that there arent some funny lines and some good performances. Az Central
2.5
Somewhere in Hysteria, theres a cheekily illuminating cultural comedy about a trussed up society racked by urges it doesnt dare name. Boston
5.0
And like all the best romantic comedies (those that deserve the full term, and not the dismissive rom com tag), theres more going on here than meets t .. Mountain X
1.5
Hysteria, a disappointingly limp ode to the invention of the vibrator, plays like a Merchant Ivory Production of Portnoys Complaint. Npr
3.1
Dancy, Jones and Pryce are dull, while Gyllenhaal plays the spitfire with far too much spit, thumping the other characters and the audience over the h .. Star Tribune
4.5
But its also a movie with blinders of its own that it doesnt seem to realize are in place.
2.8
More titillating than provocative, and lacking wit to make this tale of inventing the vibrator more significant and entertaining as serio comedy. Emanuellevy
2.0
Gyllenhaal rises above the tedium; sadly, not far enough. Great English accent, though. Guardian
4.5
The films tongue in cheek tone is declared from the very beginning as it delivers laughs, chuckles and an uplifting mood in what is ultimately an intr ..
3.0
Strained yet saucy, barely skimming the surface of the subject of female sexuality. Susang Ranger
4.5
Instead of provocative prurience, Hysteria brims over with humor and sweetness. Observer
2.0
In the other corner is a heartfelt pre feminist courtroom drama and opposites attract romance that resembles every other courtroom drama and opposites .. Movies
2.0
It doesnt really fire up any excitement on the subject and tacks on a romantic subplot that needed reworking before the camera started rolling. Flim Threet
1.5
Hopelessly antiquated, greeting with very British giggles, and without a trace of honest curiosity, the needs of the women it seeks to honor. New Yorker
3.0
Beneath its saucy surface Hysteria is a rather sweet romantic comedy. Express
3.8
It seems odd to call a film whose central hook is the invention of the vibrator cute, but director Tanya Wexler has pulled off that seemingly impossib .. Mr Brown Movies
4.5
...what makes Hysteria so entertaining is the larger picture it paints of repressed Victorian society. That it does so in the form of a farcical comed .. Blogs Indie Wire
4.5
Might have been a one note joke, but Wexler, Dancy and Gyllenhaal make it a witty, slyly feminist comedy of sexual manners. Blogs Indie Wire
2.5
Maggie Gyllenhaal is the free spirited modern woman who spars with (and then, in predictable rom com fashion, falls in love with) the progressive doct .. Las Vegas Weekly
2.0
Too unsexy for a date movie, too much fingering for a see with your mum movie. Total Film
3.0
Its all rather sweet in its way, as it treads gingerly round and round its subject. Nicely acted too, especially by Gyllenhaal and Pryce. Standard
3.5
Director Tanya Wexler plays things broadly at times, but Hysteria has good fun with history while coming off far more wholesome than salacious. Detroit News
2.5
Opens with the legend This story is based on true events, adding, Really. Except that it isnt. Not really. Groucho Reviews
3.5
Its rare to find a romance of any kind these days where the love interests truly spark, and its a pleasure to be reminded what that looks like in Danc .. Hit Fix
2.5
Gyllenhaal ... is fresh and fierce and delightful. Too bad the entire movie hadnt simply concentrated on her, and eliminated all the rest of this awkw .. Nj
3.2
Theres nothing wrong with taking a germ of historical fact and spinning a story from it, but dont then claim that it really happened. Oregon Live
2.8
Creative takes on history (i.e. making up the good doctors romantic travails) are fine enough, but not when their service cuts away at anything truly .. Film School Rejects
3.8
A tale of social and sexual female empowerment wrapped up in a bawdy, cheerful sex comedy. Movies Tv Guide
2.0
Desperately trying to crowbar some serious gender politics into the piece, Gyllenhaal is surprisingly dull and one dimensional as convention defying f .. Cine Vue
3.0
Hysteria isnt hysterical, but its a light hearted romp that will create its own buzz. Nz Herald
3.0
Hysteria goes through the motions without eliciting much of a reaction despite its seemingly racy subject matter. Flicks
3.8
That doesnt diminish a handful of laughs and a story about a revolution that seems to have occurred almost by accident. ( Red Eye Chicago
2.5
As a sex education comedy, Hysteria is flaccid, forced and unfunny. Stl Today
3.5
She believes hysteria is a perfectly idiotic diagnosis and blames the womens doltish, unsatisfying husbands for any lack of stimulation. Cleve Land
3.0
And it doesnt help that the script never gives any of these people more than one or two key personality traits. Contact Music
1.5
An engaging comedy of manners, about a time when its subject was not discussed by the well mannered. Hollywood And Fine
2.5
Wexler achieves a winningly light tone to the feature, pulling wonderful performances from the cast, with particular energy emerging from Gyllenhaal, .. Brian Or Ndorf
3.8
Director Tanya Wexler engages in some quick, unsubtle ribbing about Victorian views of sexuality and gender. Thankfully, the charms of Dancy and Gylle .. Sltrib
3.1
Director Tanya Wexler certainly doesnt mine things here for all the films potential, though she admirably keeps it all a rather intelligent production ..
3.1
A spoonful of sugar doesnt make the medicine go down when the medicine happens to be Gyllenhaal nearly getting involuntarily sterilized to cure her wi .. Js Online
1.5
Save for some convincing period detail, nothing about the film rings true. Sbs
3.0
A fun, loose with the facts story that deftly walks the fine line separating bawdy from bad taste. No La
1.9
Dont be fooled by the period costumes and British accents, Hysteria is as obvious and pandering as comedies get. Scene Stealers
1.5
The good news about Hysteria is that Gyllenhalls performance is rich, earthy fun shes both fervid and utterly charming, somehow managing to play the c .. Dvd Talk
2.0
Neither funny enough nor serious enough, Hysteria is a series of constant disappointments and cringe worthy gags which, in a different era, would prob .. Film 4
3.0
Its a remarkable (and true) period piece played out with the cheekiness and charm of an Oscar Wilde play. Concrete Play Ground
1.5
The complex and fascinating social circumstances that surrounded the creation of what has come to be known as the vibrator hardly gets the realism its .. Ion Cinema
3.0
While there have been a lot of films of late involving human machine interaction, Hysteria serves as an overdue reminder that mechanical devices can, .. Tiny Url
3.0
Loosely wrapped into this true story is the invention of the first vibrator. The film, however, generates very little buzz. Tri City Herald
3.8
Begins as a smug comedy about repressed Victorians but turns into something more provocative... Boston Phoenix
2.2
Effective acting and Tanya Wexlers direction of a taboo topic (especially given the era in which its set) cannot save the unbearably choppy and uneven .. Reel Talk Online
3.5
Dalyrimple threatens to cut Charlotte off entirely if she doesnt return home, but the threat doesnt phase her. Assignment X
5.0
Theres heartfelt drama, droll humor, an affecting love story and a feminist message that sticks. Am Ny
3.0
Hysteria is a clever satire about the birth of the worlds most popular sex toy, and despite some clunky rom com plot devices it was refreshing to see .. Graffiti With Punctuation
3.1
Hysteria never gets too preachy or ponderous, and theres something in the film to educate even the most learned viewer. Miami
3.2
Unfortunately, we end up with a steampunk caricature of 1880s England, with more figurative winking at the camera than a sense of authenticity. Willamette Week
4.0
One of the smartest, funniest and most charming movies of the year. Richard Roeper
3.5
attle of the sexes romantic comedy around a real historical figure. . .with fun and fanciful imagination about his life and his invention inspired by. .. Film Forward
1.3
For a film thats so up in womens business, its surprising how far it gets from putting an authentic woman on the screen. Ut Sandiego
3.3
Hysteria is most delightful when it slips into its naughtiest groove and just purrs. Movie Line
2.0
Ultimately, Hysteria isnt much more than a modest trifle of a movie, soon to be forgotten before we hit the parking lot. Google
4.5
Though blushing may be imminent, so is the laughter and it isnt embarrassed or hushed because the narrative does such a wonderful job of telling the s .. Digital Journal
3.8
The movie is most entertaining during its pre vibrator sequences, which generate laughs by presenting risqu material within the very civilized and eve .. Commercial Appeal (Memphis ..
1.5
The films light hearted fictionalising of real events combines a mild feminist history lesson with mildly saucy fun. Movie Talk
2.5
What could have been a bawdy feature about the repression of not only female sexuality, but also womens rights, is at times as tightly wound and restr .. Jc Online
3.1
Hysteria has much wide eyed fun with this whole topic, with a tone thats more larky than smutty. Jackson Ville
1.5
The movie, directed by Tanya Wexler, is a pretty conventional British run at something fun, like when Stephen Frears does a funny one. The Coast
3.0
An entirely inoffensive, light and tasty little romp round Victorian London which has been nicely cast and delivered. Newshub (NZ)
3.1
Hysteria might be the most unlikely romantic comedy of the year if not the decade.
3.8
A sly yet seriously mounted comedy that plays like a post war Ealing Studios pin prick satire of British character and society. Shared Darkness
3.0
Bizarrely, this film is as about as inoffensive as it gets, despite the fact it contains uncountable scenes of Hugh Dancy wanking off bored housewives .. The Crat
4.5
This all might be very heavy handed if Hysteria wasnt so light on its feet. Moveable Fest
3.8
Director Tanya Wexler has a lot more on her mind than personal massagers. An insightful, entertaining, beautifully designed and photographed film. Movie Dearest Blog Spot
3.1
Ostensibly a story about sexual liberation, Hysteria needs a thrill worthy of its intended good vibrations. Toronto Star
4.4
A film with a potentially raunchy subject matter is handled with taste and elegance. Even though its about the invention of a sex toy, it was done in .. Jeffrey Manderson Blog Spo ..
3.2
Given the allure of learning the origins of something as buzzworthy as the vibrator, Hysteria provides just enough pleasures to give it a pass.
4.5
That doesnt mean the darker side of womens medical treatment is ignored altogether. Farout Magazine



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