Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991)

72% of critics liked it
(32 reviews)
82% of users liked it
(9,690 ratings)

Pianist Nina (Juliet Stevenson) and cellist Jamie (Alan Rickman) played together and loved together. When they weren't making music with each other, they made love. It was an idyllic romantic and musical partnership, and when Jamie dies, Nina takes it very hard. The condolences of friends and… More Pianist Nina (Juliet Stevenson) and cellist Jamie (Alan Rickman) played together and loved together. When they weren't making music with each other, they made love. It was an idyllic romantic and musical partnership, and when Jamie dies, Nina takes it very hard. The condolences of friends and relatives don't help much when everything in the apartment they shared reminds her of him. She's a real basket case, and can barely get on with her life. One day, while plunking dejectedly on the piano, Nina looks up to discover Jamie, in ghostly form, lively as ever and just as loving. With a few new wrinkles (such as parties which include Jamie's newfound ghost friends), they resume living their relationship almost as before. Nina's friends are puzzled at her change from suicidal despondency to giddy cheefulness, but Jamie has pledged Nina to secrecy about their renewed relationship. For that reason, she cannot find any good excuses for not responding to the romantic advances of a living man, Mark (Michael Maloney). Before long, she will have to choose between the two of them. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 47 min.
Directed By: Anthony Minghella
Genres: Drama, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1991 Wide
On DVD: Dec 26, 2001

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
This is a beguiling film in more ways than one.
Variety Staff, Variety
This sharply scripted study of a bereaved woman who literally wishes her partner back from the grave is an impressive directorial bow by British playwright Anthony Minghella.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Miss Stevenson, Mr. Rickman and Mr. Maloney, good actors all, work tirelessly on behalf of the insistently gooey and smug material.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Minghella lays on the whimsy a bit thick at times, but his wryly funny and heartfelt observations on sorrow go down much easier than the Hollywood brand of lump-in-the-throat histrionics.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
It's a sweetly affecting tug of the heart.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
All of these passages of the movie are convincing, in a strange way: This is sort of a Ghost for grownups.
, Film4
Like Ghost, only British and better.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
A wonderful, bittersweet little romantic comedy.
, Time Out
As a metaphor for the experience of bereavement, the conceit is over-extended, though Stevenson almost makes it work.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
off-beat and involving
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Even though the ghosts can walk through walls the script can't get past its emotionally manipulative love story.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
A truly, madly, deeply romantic film.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Odd, effective little comedy fantasy anchored by leads.
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
Deeply moving film that only underscores the tragedy of continually casting Rickman as a villain.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Bob S

I heard raves about this movie but I thought it was horrendous. Stagey, saccharine and painfully PC.
AJ V

A beautiful and funny romantic drama/comedy about a woman who can't get past the death of her boyfriend, and he comes back as a ghost to help her. I love this movie.
Anthony L

Such a sweet film. It?s so sad. My only criticism is that I find some of the cast a little too luvvie! Certainly Anthony Minghella best film I feel!
vieras e

"You're telling me there are dead people in my living room watching videos?" The scenes between Jamie and Nina: **** The rest: **½
Robert C

One of the few "Romantic Comedies" that I actually like. It really is rather dark as "romantic comedies" go (perhaps that's why I like it?) but also very sweet and moving.
Cindy I

I really liked this film, but I'll probably never watch it again. It was too painful! Most I ever cried over a movie until I saw Ordet. But it has some really good lessons about how grieving is OK, but at some point you need to move on.
xGary X

Subtle comedy dealing with grief and loss that only upper middle class english professionals could possibly relate to. Juliet Stephenson's performance is marvellous, but it's also unbearably pretentious in places (see the cringeworthy hopping sequence.). I also cannot… More
Subtle comedy dealing with grief and loss that only upper middle class english professionals could possibly relate to. Juliet Stephenson's performance is marvellous, but it's also unbearably pretentious in places (see the cringeworthy hopping sequence.). I also cannot understand why Alan Rickman is so highly regarded; he's a bit rubbish really.
Leigh R

Wow... such an intense feeling of love.

Read all 8 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Juliet Stevenson as Nina

            Alan Rickman as Jamie

            Bill Paterson as Sandy

            Michael Maloney as Mark

            Jenny Howe as Burge

            Christopher Rozycki as Titus

            Stella Maris as Maura

            Keith Bartlett as Plumber

            David Ryall as George

            Deborah Findlay as Claire

            Awam Amkpa as Ghost

            Hamilton Baillie as Ghost

            Tony Bluto as Anthony

            Nick Burge as Ghost

            Carolyn Choa as Translator

            Steven Deproost as Ghost

            Graeme Du Fresne as Pierre

            Ian Hawkes as Harry

            Leroy Joseph as Ghost

            Teddy Kempner as Freddie

            Mark Long as Isaac

            Jonathan Lunn as Ghost

            Reach Group as Themselves

            Richard Syms as Symonds

            Arturo Venegas as Roberto

            Vania Vilers as Frenchman

            Eddie Vincent as Ghost

            Heather Williams as Midwife

            Tom Yang as Ghost

            Anthony Minghella
            
            Michelle Guish
            
            Nitin Chandra Ganatra as Ghost

            Frank Baker as Bruno
See full cast

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