Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- claustrophobic
- bleak
- disturbing
- late night horror viewing
- gothic movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the adaptation slow, stiff, poorly acted, and weakened by narrative changes, though later responses noted its disturbing themes and kitschy 1980s appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Cathy, Chris, Cory, and Carrie are locked in the mansion’s deserted north wing and must survive isolation, starvation, and abuse.
The children’s confinement leads toward a shocking truth hidden in the main house and the family’s inheritance history.
The central threats are the grandmother’s cruelty, the caretaker’s menace, and the family’s manipulation of vulnerable children.
The deserted north wing, attic darkness, and inaccessible main house make architecture central to the children’s ordeal.
Films like Flowers in the Attic, and why
The Others
shared gothic family horror, domestic imprisonment, and disturbing secrets
The Innocents
shared claustrophobic psychological horror, oppressive domestic spaces, and hidden family trauma
The Haunting
shared gothic melodrama, abusive family authority, and macabre inheritance secrets
The Good Son
shared psychological horror, child endangerment, and sinister family dynamics
Movie Details
- Director
- Jeffrey Bloom
- Release Date
- 1987-11-20
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (224)
Cast
- Louise Fletcher
- Victoria Tennant
- Kristy Swanson
- Jeb Stuart Adams
- Ben Ryan Ganger
- Lindsay Parker
- Nathan Davis
- Gus Peters
- Bruce Neckels
- Marshall Colt
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Lifetime Movie Club Apple TV channel, Lifetime Movie Club Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ARROW
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Flowers in the Attic about?
- Four siblings imprisoned in a decaying mansion confront starvation, family cruelty, and a secret capable of turning childhood survival into violent rebellion.
- What is Flowers in the Attic like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Flowers in the Attic as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Flowers in the Attic violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Flowers in the Attic as moderate.
- What did critics think of Flowers in the Attic?
- Critics broadly found the adaptation slow, stiff, poorly acted, and weakened by narrative changes, though later responses noted its disturbing themes and kitschy 1980s appeal.
- Which films are like Flowers in the Attic?
- Films with a similar feel include The Others, The Innocents, The Haunting, and The Good Son.
- How long is Flowers in the Attic?
- Flowers in the Attic runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Flowers in the Attic?
- In United States, Flowers in the Attic streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Lifetime Movie Club Apple TV channel, Lifetime Movie Club Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ARROW.
