Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- brooding
- intimate
- literary film night
- period drama evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the performances compelling, especially Gwyneth Paltrow's Sylvia and Daniel Craig's Ted Hughes, but judged the biopic a superficial and melodramatic treatment of Plath's artistic life.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story follows poet Sylvia Plath's marriage, writing career, and emotional decline.
Sylvia struggles beneath Ted Hughes's fame while trying to establish her own literary identity.
Sylvia's writing career is portrayed in relation to her husband's success and expectations surrounding marriage and motherhood.
Critics described the film as highbrow melodrama, while the marriage is rendered through jealousy, infidelity, and emotional volatility.
Films like Sylvia, and why
Frida
female artist biopic centered on psychological turmoil, creative ambition, and an intense romantic relationship
The Hours
literary biographical drama examining artistic identity, depression, and a destructive intimate relationship
Carrington
period romance about writers, professional rivalry, jealousy, and emotional instability
Movie Details
- Director
- Christine Jeffs
- Release Date
- 2003-10-17
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (124)
Cast
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Daniel Craig
- Jared Harris
- Amira Casar
- Andrew Havill
- Sam Troughton
- Lucy Davenport
- Anthony Strachan
- Blythe Danner
- Michael Gambon
Where to watch in United States
- 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 Sylvia about?
- A gifted poet’s marriage to a celebrated fellow writer becomes a painful struggle for artistic identity, love, and emotional survival.
- What is Sylvia like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sylvia as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Sylvia violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Sylvia as mild.
- What did critics think of Sylvia?
- Critics broadly found the performances compelling, especially Gwyneth Paltrow's Sylvia and Daniel Craig's Ted Hughes, but judged the biopic a superficial and melodramatic treatment of Plath's artistic life.
- Which films are like Sylvia?
- Films with a similar feel include Frida, The Hours, and Carrington.
- How long is Sylvia?
- Sylvia runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sylvia?
- In United States, Sylvia is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
