← Back to results
Asylum
2005 99 min United Kingdom, Ireland R 16+
★6.3
Drama, Thriller, Romance
Director: David Mackenzie
Trailers
Description
A woman becomes very curious about one of her psychiatrist husband's inmates, a man who was found guilty in the murder and disfigurement of his former wife.
US Gross:
$375,403
Starring
Natasha Richardson
Actor
Sean Harris
Actor
Marton Csokas
Actor
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival 2005
— German Arthouse Guild Prize
Berlin International Film Festival 2005
— Golden Bear
Key opinion
Asylum is a polarizing psychological drama that explores the destructive intersection of obsession, infidelity, and mental instability. While performances from Natasha Richardson and Marton Csokas are widely praised for their intensity, viewers remain divided on whether the film succeeds as a profound study of passion or fails due to a fragmented and morally questionable narrative.
| Acting | Natasha Richardson and Marton Csokas deliver strong, compelling performances that anchor the film's intense emotional atmosphere. | |
| Production | The 1950s production design is meticulously crafted, successfully evoking the atmosphere of a confined, repressed provincial setting. | |
| Screenplay | The film's screenplay divides audiences: some see it as a complex, soul-stirring exploration of human madness, while others find the character motivations absurd or the narrative execution disjointed. | |
| Theme | Opinions on the central relationship are split; critics either interpret the bond as a profound, tragic act of liberation or dismiss it as an egoistic, animalistic obsession lacking true emotional depth. |