[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Hysterical Blindness

  • TV Movie
  • 2002
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
Hysterical Blindness (2002)
Drama

Two friends lament their unhappy single lives while searching for Mr. Right in 1980s New Jersey.Two friends lament their unhappy single lives while searching for Mr. Right in 1980s New Jersey.Two friends lament their unhappy single lives while searching for Mr. Right in 1980s New Jersey.

  • Director
    • Mira Nair
  • Writer
    • Laura Cahill
  • Stars
    • Uma Thurman
    • Juliette Lewis
    • Gena Rowlands
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    3.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mira Nair
    • Writer
      • Laura Cahill
    • Stars
      • Uma Thurman
      • Juliette Lewis
      • Gena Rowlands
    • 71User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Primetime Emmys
      • 4 wins & 18 nominations total

    Photos25

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 18
    View Poster

    Top cast25

    Edit
    Uma Thurman
    Uma Thurman
    • Debby Miller
    Juliette Lewis
    Juliette Lewis
    • Beth
    Gena Rowlands
    Gena Rowlands
    • Virginia Miller
    Justin Chambers
    Justin Chambers
    • Rick
    Ben Gazzara
    Ben Gazzara
    • Nick
    Anthony DeSando
    Anthony DeSando
    • Bobby
    • (as Anthony De Sando)
    Jolie Peters
    Jolie Peters
    • Amber Autumn
    Callie Thorne
    Callie Thorne
    • Carolann
    Lisa Altomare
    • Dora
    Laura Cahill
    • Tonya
    Johann Carlo
    Johann Carlo
    • Susan
    Alex Draper
    • Michael
    Russell Gibson
    • Diner Customer
    Jayne Haynes
    • Annie
    Susan Isaacs
    Susan Isaacs
    • Theresa
    Ali Marsh
    Ali Marsh
    • Trina
    Wade Mylius
    • Bill
    Bobby Tisdale
    Bobby Tisdale
    • Guy
    • Director
      • Mira Nair
    • Writer
      • Laura Cahill
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews71

    6.53.4K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    6blakiepeterson

    A Mixed Bag of a Comedy-Drama

    Seeing Uma Thurman play a genuine, sensitive woman is a strange thing for me. Everyone (including myself) knows she's a terrific actress — but as a Tarantino die-hard obsessed with "Kill Bill" (I've legitimately seen "Vol. 1" at least thirty times), I'm hardly used to her portraying a woman capable of carrying on a soul-baring conversation without cutting someone in half with a Hattori Hanzō sword. Perhaps I should see what else she's capable of before I start making assumptions — so I suppose "Hysterical Blindness", an HBO TV-movie for which she won a Golden Globe, is a good place to start.

    Thurman is Debby Miller, a thirty-ish, '80s bound, New Jersey bred, lonely heart in the process of sinking into the suppressed life of an old maid. She's desperate for love — she and her best friend, single mom Beth (Juliette Lewis), parade around seedy bars looking for potential suitors like a second job — but as her low self-confidence is more up front than her immense good looks, she turns most men off, finding herself in a plight of one-night-stands instead of meaningful relationships. She's torn between continuing her search for Mr. Right and completely giving up; she still lives with her mother (Gena Rowlands), and still holds onto a low-paying job she most likely got in her early twenties. Eventually, Debby finds a possible mate in Rick (Justin Chambers), a seemingly nice guy she met during one of her late-night escapades.

    The hysterical blindness of the title derives from a condition that causes its victim to temporary become visually impaired after a long period of unresolved stress. Debby, so mind-numbingly obsessed with her lack of a love life, experiences the bizarre phenomenon, twice in the film (once in the beginning, to develop her as a neurotic leading lady, and once toward the conclusion, as a dramatic high point that begs her to consider what the hell she's doing with her life).

    Directed by Mira Nair, "Hysterical Blindness" is a drama frustrating in its inability to stay earnest throughout its length. Most of the film is moving, well-acted, but Nair, against good judgment, feels the need to include "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" repeatedly in the soundtrack as if to make the impression that we're watching a sappy woman's world drama more spurious than sincere, to render Debby and Beth as stereotypically New Jersey as possible to make their desperation even more desperate. Thurman and Lewis are so broadly drawn that it's a relief that they stir our emotions during their more dramatic scenes — there, the acting school vulgarity disappears and we finally feel like we understand these women.

    It's irritating that "Hysterical Blindness" is so regularly prodded by fakery, because, at its realest, most truthful, it momentarily turns into a movie rich in its passion. It's at its best when focusing on the relationship between Virginia (Rowlands) and her new boyfriend, Nick (Ben Gazzara). Both in their sixties, both numbed and used to their discontent, the love they find together is unexpected and exciting; Rowlands and Gazzara, in a mini Cassavetes reunion, are deeply touching. The side-plot makes for a good contrast between that of Debby and Beth — they would do anything to have a meaningful romance, and while they wander around various taverns, Virginia, who has been a waitress the majority of her adult life, simple finds someone by being herself. The scenes between Rowlands and Thurman are palpably wistful, their mother-daughter bond so thick that it's less of a familial pairing and more of a friends-forever partnership that guarantees the other that when the going gets rough, sticking together will hardly be an action in question.

    "Hysterical Blindness" is mostly a mixed bag, a sometimes poignant, sometimes obviously calculated comedy-drama that hits home at its best moments but feels like leftovers from an actor's previous vie for an Oscar nomination that didn't quite make it at its worst. But the cast does well with the uneven material, especially Rowlands, making "Hysterical Blindness" decent enough to make even the most cynical of viewers take a look at the world around them and wonder just how many people live to love, throwing their happiness away when they can't quite find it.
    10Kathryn-17

    Acting so real that it's painful to watch.

    For anyone who has ever been truly, painfully lonely and done really stupid things under the influence of alcohol just to gain a little affection and affirmation, this movie will be like looking in the mirror. I winced when Uma's character literally flung herself at a guy who is, like a recent book popular dating book says, is just not that into her. The pain on Uma's character's face is just too much to take sometimes. I've watched this film twice and even though the I knew what was going to happen, seeing it a second time was just as heart-wrenching and touching. Kudos to all the actors, especially Uma Thurman and Gena Rowlands. PLEASE see every Gena Rowlands movie ever made - you won't be disappointed. She is one of the finest actors of our time.
    10dixxjamm

    A very pleasant surprise

    I think all women under 40 should see this movie.Thumbs up for the women director's vision on the issues depicted in this movie.Uma Thurman is absolutely gorgeous,very talented,very subtle.All actors are great.This is what women should mostly watch,not soap operas,Pretty Woman,Titanic and other crap.If all movies, TV and music would follow the same pattern of this movie (and other), as opposed to unrealistic,cheesy crap that you usually find,the world would be a better place, for both men and women. The scene in the end where Uma's character makes a spectacle of herself in the pub is right there with Pacino's "say hello to my little friend!".Beautiful.Realistic.Interesting.Shattering.

    I am speechless, 10 points.
    caspian1978

    Rowlands and Thurman are Excellent

    Hysterical Blindness starts where 1980's Gloria ended. Gena Rowlands is one of the most under-rated actresses in Hollywood. She is nothing less than terrific in this movie. Surprisingly, Uma Thurman is just as good. Most of her career has been dubbed as eye candy and a beautiful body with nothing else to offer. In the past few years, Uma has broke away from her earlier career to become a decent actor. Here, Uma gives her best performance. At time, Rowlands and Thurman make you want to switch the channel because their performances are too good. Moments of embarrassment and sadness over whelm you to believe that both characters are doomed to find happiness and to have fun with their lives. A somewhat happy ending, the movie identifies with the lives that these characters have. They are almost doomed from the very start of the film, but manages to find shreds of happiness to keep living. Somewhat of a Cassavetes depiction on human emotion, the movie falls under the category of yet another great film produced by HBO.
    8dewey22

    OUTSTANDING ACTING

    One of 2002's best acting performances is in this movie about two young women pursuing their dreams but only finding emptiness. One will never be disappointed by the always great acting of Gena Rowlands and Juliette Lewis. The surprise is in the acting of Uma Thurman. Her character has to be one of the most difficult roles I've ever seen, and she is so convincing that it's hard to believe that she doesn't live a life off-stage as she did here. The movie is excellently directed and edited. The subject is somewhat discomforting, as is much of today's culture.

    More like this

    Ma mère, moi et ma mère
    6.2
    Ma mère, moi et ma mère
    Le patchwork de la vie
    6.3
    Le patchwork de la vie
    Mrs. Tingle
    5.3
    Mrs. Tingle
    Pensées mortelles
    5.8
    Pensées mortelles
    Gloria
    7.1
    Gloria
    Entre chiens et chats
    6.3
    Entre chiens et chats
    Mon combat
    8.0
    Mon combat
    My Own Country
    6.7
    My Own Country
    Beautiful Girls
    7.1
    Beautiful Girls
    Les divins secrets
    6.1
    Les divins secrets
    Neige sur Beverly Hills
    6.4
    Neige sur Beverly Hills
    The Laughing Club of India
    6.6
    The Laughing Club of India

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scene in Rick (Justin Chambers)'s house - where Debby (Uma Thurman) offers to make breakfast had to be shot that way because the house actually had no kitchen. It had been gutted for renovation prior to being selected as a location for the film. The filmmakers contemplated building a fake kitchen, but the homeowner refused.
    • Goofs
      The movie is set in 1987, but there are many late-90's model vehicles.
    • Quotes

      Beth: Play anything by Zeppelin, you can't go wrong.

    • Connections
      Featured in The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life
      Written by Michael Cleveland

      Performed by Indeep, vocals by Réjane Magloire

      Courtesy of Sutra/Unidisc Records

      by arrangement with Unidisc Music Inc.

      © 1982 Unidisc Music Inc.

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 21, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Desperata kvinnor
    • Filming locations
      • Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
    • Production companies
      • HBO Films
      • Blum Israel Productions
      • Karuna Dream
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 39m(99 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.