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Parents' Guide to

Stonehearst Asylum

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Atmospheric, slightly disturbing adaptation of Poe story.

Movie PG-13 2014 112 minutes
Stonehearst Asylum Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

age 16+

Loved it

I love things like this but it's not for everyone. There is a lot of violence and discussion about sexual activity. For mature teens, which a love for creepy things(like me), it is a interesting movie.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (4 ):

Brad Anderson (Happy Accidents, The Call) is one of our most reliable genre filmmakers; he rarely makes anything great, but, likewise, he rarely makes anything truly bad. Adapting the Edgar Allan Poe story "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" with screenwriter Joe Gangemi, Anderson creates an immersive universe in the beautifully designed asylum. It's much like the modern-day asylum in his terrific Session 9 (2001), a three-dimensional space with a grim, sinister personality of its own.

All of the performers, including Brendan Gleeson in an small but crucial role, seem to be having a great time savoring the tricks and treats hidden within their characters. Anderson clearly takes delight in all the proceedings, which is one of the reasons his films feel fresh instead of lazy. The story's twists may not be all that opaque, and many genre fans could feel disappointed at being able to figure out what's going to happen, but that discredits the overall fun that can be had at Stonehearst Asylum.

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