Overview
A poignant exploration of lost glory and the complexities of family ties.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- witty
- claustrophobic
- character driven drama night
- biographical film viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a compelling, emotionally vivid biographical drama elevated by Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore’s performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story follows Big Edie and Little Edie from privileged socialite aspirations through isolation at Grey Gardens.
Little Edie’s aspirations for dance and acting are repeatedly subordinated to her mother’s needs and demands.
Grey Gardens becomes increasingly squalid while retaining traces of the family’s former wealth and social identity.
Both women perform versions of their former careers and social standing for the documentary filmmakers.
Films like Grey Gardens, and why
Mildred Pierce
shared focus on a complicated mother daughter relationship, faded privilege, and intimate period drama
The Hours
shared themes of family obligation, thwarted ambition, and emotionally heightened female performances
August: Osage County
shared portrait of eccentric relatives, social decline, and claustrophobic domestic conflict
My Week with Marilyn
shared biographical drama form, theatrical performances, and the pressures of public identity
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Sucsy
- Release Date
- 2009-06-21
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (153)
Cast
- Drew Barrymore
- Jessica Lange
- Jeanne Tripplehorn
- Ken Howard
- Kenneth Welsh
- Arye Gross
- Louis Ferreira
- Daniel Baldwin
- Malcolm Gets
- Louis Grise
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Grey Gardens about?
- A poignant biographical drama about a mother and daughter performing fragments of vanished privilege inside their decaying family mansion.
- What is Grey Gardens like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Grey Gardens as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Grey Gardens violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Grey Gardens.
- What did critics think of Grey Gardens?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a compelling, emotionally vivid biographical drama elevated by Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore’s performances.
- Which films are like Grey Gardens?
- Films with a similar feel include Mildred Pierce, The Hours, August: Osage County, and My Week with Marilyn.
- How long is Grey Gardens?
- Grey Gardens runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Grey Gardens?
- In United States, Grey Gardens streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
