IMDb > Asylum (2005)
Asylum
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips
Photos (see all 49 | slideshow) Videos (see all 11)
Asylum (2005) -- 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.
Asylum (2005) -- Open-ended Trailer from Paramount
Asylum (2005) -- 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.
Asylum (2005) -- 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.
Asylum (2005) -- 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.

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   2,199 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Down 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

David Mackenzie

Writers (WGA):

Patrick McGrath (novel)
Patrick Marber (screenplay) ...
more

Contact:

View company contact information for Asylum on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

9 September 2005 (UK) more

Genre:

Romance | Thriller more

Tagline:

Passion knows no boundaries. more

Plot:

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. full summary | add synopsis

Plot Keywords:

more

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations more

User Comments:

Excellent Adaptation - A Gripping and Haunting tale of Obsessive Love more (48 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Natasha Richardson ... Stella Raphael

Hugh Bonneville ... Max Raphael
Gus Lewis ... Charlie Raphael

Ian McKellen ... Dr. Peter Cleave

Joss Ackland ... Jack Straffen
Wanda Ventham ... Bridie Straffen
Sara Thurston ... Mrs. Rose (as Sarah Thurstan)
Alwyne Taylor ... Monica
Maria Aitken ... Claudia Greene
Hazel Douglas ... Lilly
Anna Keaveney ... Mrs. Bain

Marton Csokas ... Edgar Stark
Robert Willox ... John Archer
Judy Parfitt ... Brenda Raphael
Sean Harris ... Nick
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, some violence and brief language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Both Marton Csokas and Ian McKellan have appeared in ‘The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring’ and The ‘Lord of the Rings: Return of the King’. more

Quotes:

Max Raphael: I want you to understand what's going to happen next. The shock will wear off, and it will be replaced by a devastating grief. In time, you will come to terms with what you have done and you'll just be very, very sad. And that sadness will stay with you for the rest of your life. more

Movie Connections:

References Vertigo (1958) more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
15 out of 16 people found the following comment useful.
Excellent Adaptation - A Gripping and Haunting tale of Obsessive Love, 13 February 2006
8/10
Author: richard-810 from United Kingdom

Very briefly, the story concerns Stella, the wife of a newly arrived deputy superintendent of a prison hospital for the criminally insane and the developing relationship that she forms with one of the trusted inmates. Nothing particularly original about a tale of doomed love - you inevitably suspect that the outcome will be disastrous, but the tale unfolds in a way that is unexpected and gripping. What makes Asylum stand out is the environment in which the tale is set and the quality of the production. I read the book on which the film is based some years ago. I often find that having read a book, a subsequent film can be a disappointment, possibly because the pictures you have formed in your mind vary from those that appear on screen. Asylum differed in this respect and I came away from the viewing haunted by what I had seen and greatly impressed with the absorbing nature of the production. For the benefit of any readers unfamiliar with the work of the author Patrick McGrath, his books often feature characters that are mentally ill. He knows the subject well as he grew up living in the grounds of Broadmoor, the English prison hospital for the criminally insane that features in this story. His father worked on the medical staff there. The film captures the claustrophobic and artificial environment of such a community and I refer to that which is experienced by the staff and their families rather than the patients. The rigid conformity and social constraints to which Stella is subject to are convincingly portrayed. The casting and acting I found pretty much faultless, not only from the big players such as Richardson and McKellen but the lesser known members of the cast excel also. Marton Csokas as Edgar, the subject of Stella's attention is particularly good. I was expecting a worthy but slightly dull 'quality' drama but I found the film unexpectedly absorbing, even though I was familiar with the story. The direction and photography should be praised also – unobtrusive but allowing the story to unfold at a swift pace so as to hold the viewers attention. Highly recommended.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (48 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Asylum (2005)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
sex scenes ScottishSexAppeal
Past Midnight v's Asylum paulhalliday
Judy Parfitt? joshuahancock_2008
DVD njr09
Does anyone think... SPOILERS pzazz_hij
Two Questions msbinky5
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
B. Monkey Notes on a Scandal Die Blechtrommel Boy A Turks fruit
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Romance section IMDb UK section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.