One of the most underrated Julia Roberts films of all time is about get a shakeup. Beginning next month, the 1991 psychological thriller Sleeping with the Enemy will be available on a brand-new streaming home.
Beginning on Feb. 1, fans of Julia Roberts will be able to stream Sleeping with the Enemy on Hulu. This comes after a long stint in which the 1991 film was not available with any streaming subscription, but only as a purchase/rental on platforms like YouTube TV, Apple TV, and Google Play.
The film joins several other terrific movies and series that will be available with a Hulu subscription next month, including Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and a brand-new The Muppet Show special featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
Released in 1991, Sleeping with the Enemy is a departure from Julia Roberts’ better-known career in the romantic comedy and drama genres. Roberts stars as Laura Burney, a woman who fakes her death to get away from her abusive husband. Looking to build a better life for herself under a new name and identity, Laura rediscovers romance with a local schoolteacher, played by Kevin Anderson. However, when her ex-husband tracks her down, Laura must fight for the new life she’s built for herself.
Sleeping with the Enemy was met with generally poor reviews upon its release. Critics were unimpressed with the film’s story, which fell into a series of cliches that only serve as reminders of better psychological thrillers. Today, the film holds an undesireable 24% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating mostly negative reviews. More than thirty years later, many critics strongly dislike one of Julia Roberts’ most unique films.
Despite the negative reception, Sleeping with the Enemy was a massive box office success. Against a budget of only about $19 million, the film earned a whopping $175 million (via The Numbers). Thus, while critics may not have enjoyed the psychological thriller, many moviegoers felt obliged to check it out in theaters. As such, many people have positive memories of the film today, keeping it etched in the cultural zeitgeist much against critics’ wishes.
Has Sleeping With the Enemy Gotten Better Over Time?
Image via Fox Studios
Thirty-five years later, Sleeping with the Enemy may warrant a critical reappraisal. Although it struggles with a lack of originality, the film achieves its goal of keeping audiences on the edge of their seat from the moment it begins until the credits finally roll. Julia Roberts is a force of nature, as always, elevating a character who could have easily been more forgettable had she been portrayed by a lesser actress.
In contrast to the low critics’ score, audiences on Rotten Tomatoes rate Sleeping with the Enemy much higher. The site’s audience-based Popcornmeter sits at a respectable 60% approval rating. While this score is still lower than one might like, it is significantly higher than the score granted by critics, indicating that Sleeping with the Enemy is held in much higher regard by average cinephiles.
It is perhaps for this reason that Sleeping with the Enemy hasn’t faded with time. Despite negative reviews, the 1991 psychological thriller is still locked in the cultural zeitgeist, even if it isn’t Julia Roberts’ most well-known film. This is the true mark of a film’s success, rather than critical approval or even box office numbers. Everyone involved in the film can at least take solace in knowing that it remains popular even more than thirty years after its premiere.
As proof of the film’s lasting popularity, it was revealed in 2019 that a remake of Sleeping with the Enemy is in development with The Marvels and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple director Nia DeCosta attached to helm the project. Very little is known about the remake at this time, but it is possible that it was dropped after the Disney-Fox merger later that same year. Still, without an official notice of cancellation, Sleeping with the Enemy may still be getting the remake treatment in the near future.
Sleeping With the Enemy will be available to stream on Hulu beginning Feb. 1.
Release Date
January 13, 1991
Runtime
99 minutes
Director
Joseph Ruben
Writers
Ronald Bass
Producers
Jeffrey Chernov
Julia Roberts
Laura Burney / Sara Walters
Patrick Bergin
Martin Burney
Kevin Anderson
Ben Woodward
Elizabeth Lawrence
Chloe Williams
