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Hysteria
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Metascore
53 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critics What's this?

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  • Summary: Hysteria, a mischievously inspired romantic comedy set in the late 19th century, is based on the surprising truth of how Mortimer Granville came up with the world's first electromechanical vibrator in the name of medical science. The film stars Academy Award nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy, alongside Jonathan Pryce, Rupert Everett and Felicity Jones. (Sony Pictures Classics)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 22
  3. Negative: 2 out of 22
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    May 16, 2012
    91
    Whenever Rupert Everett appears as a rich fellow who distinctly does not fancy ladies, it's a hysterical history lesson of the hilarious variety.
  2. NPR
    Reviewed by: Jeannette Catsoulis
    May 22, 2012
    60
    Hysteria, a disappointingly limp ode to the invention of the vibrator, plays like a Merchant Ivory Production of "Portnoy's Complaint."
  3. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Melissa Anderson
    May 15, 2012
    30
    Proceeds as a tedious, clumsy diddle, constantly reminding viewers how much progress has been made since the Victorian era.

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. MarcDoyle
    7
    Just a fun, fun film. Rupert Everett is fantastic in a small role - his chemistry with High Dancy is excellent. It's an interesting film about women and the development of the vibrator, but it makes larger statements about the eventual women's movement. My primary issue with the film is that Maggie Gyllenhaal's character says things that a woman of her era obviously would not have. They took thoughts and statements of someone living 50 years later and stuck them in her head - which is fine, we can have a little artistic license now and then. It just felt forced and awkward here.… Expand
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