  MARY REILLYRated
 for notable gore and some strong violence.Reviewed by: Ken James STAFF WRITER
Starring: Julia Roberts, John Malkovich, George Cole, Michael Gambon, Kathy Staff, Glenn Close, Michael Sheen | Director: Stephen Frears
The classic tale of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde comes to life again, this time from the perspective of Dr. Jeckyll's loyal but new household helper, Mary Reilly (Julia Roberts). If you are not familiar with the story, the good doctor Jeckyll is a well respected physician in his community, at the height of his career, when he withdraws from practice to work on a secretive new project. He spends long hours in his extensive laboratory and finally is jubilant as his work comes to a climax. It is then that a dark stranger, Mr. Hyde (Jeckyll's assistant) emerges.
My exposure to Jeckyll and Hyde comes through Saturday morning cartoons, so one can only imagine how tainted my understanding of this classic work may be. One thing I do know is that this Mr. Hyde is one sick individual. He is the “free bird” that is not confined to societies laws, feeling at ease to say whatever he wishes, and commit whatever sin he may wish to indulge at the time. (Perhaps an interesting view of contemporary society with its “whatever feels right” mentality). While there is no profanity or nudity to speak of, I do not recommend “Mary Reilly” or her dark tale. The film leaves one with a sense of dark uneasiness—the kind that can cause nightmares to some. Malkovich is a convincing Jeckyll and Hyde, with the perfect mix of controlled professionalism as the good but mysterious doctor, and as the reckless and psychotic Mr. Hyde. Year of Release—1996 [ If our reviews have been helpful to you, please prayerfully consider a donation to help pay the expenses for making this service available to you and your family! Donations are tax-deductible. ] 
I agree with the reviewer. Definitely not for younger viewers. The original story (by Robert Louis Stevenson) focused on Dr. Jekyll creating both the Mr. Hyde transformation serum and its antidote; becoming addicted to transforming and to acting out his dark side; and then no longer being able to get the correct ingredients for the antidote, so that he might transform into Mr. Hyde without warning, in broad daylight. The story can be viewed as an allegory about addictive behavior in general. Films often depart far from the books they were based on; but this one gives some sense of Dr. Jekyll's inner conflict, and Malkovich was an excellent choice for the role. |
