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Death Becomes Her
Overlook Pick

Death Becomes Her

In one small bottle... The fountain of youth. The secret of eternal life. The power of an ancient potion. Sometimes it works... sometimes it doesn't.
68
User Score2,981 ratings
TMDB 6.816+19921h 44mEnglish
ComedyFantasyHorror

Synopsis

Madeline is married to Ernest, who was once her arch-rival Helen's fiancé. After recovering from a mental breakdown, Helen vows to kill Madeline and steal back Ernest. Unfortunately for everyone, the introduction of a magic potion causes things to be a great deal more complicated than a mere murder plot.

Director
Robert ZemeckisFrom TMDB credits
Studio
Universal Pictures2 production companies
Release
July 30, 1992Released
Box Office
$149MBudget $55M

Top Cast

8 of 77
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Madeline Ashton Menville
Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn
Helen Sharp
Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis
Dr. Ernest Menville
Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Rossellini
Lisle von Rhuman
Ian Ogilvy
Ian Ogilvy
Chagall
Adam Storke
Adam Storke
Dakota
Alaina Reed Hall
Alaina Reed Hall
Psychologist
Nancy Fish
Nancy Fish
Rose

Trailers & Photos

Reviews

From TMDB users
CinemaSerf
Jun 29, 2022

"Helen" (Goldie Hawn) has always lived in the shadow of her friend, the successful actress "Madeline" (Meryl Streep), but when she loses her fiancée - renowned, if rather dowdy, plastic surgeon "Dr. Menville" (Bruce Willis) to her, she loses the plot. Eventually twice the size and evicted from her apartment with her hands still glued to the ice cream pot, she is sent to a mental institution were she finally concocts a plan for revenge. Meantime, the marriage has rather gone to seed. "Madeline" seeks comfort in the arms of younger men, but when her latest beau rejects her, she finds herself - via the kindly intervention of an almost unrecognisable Ian Ogilvy ("Chagall") - in the lair of the seductive "Lisle von Rhuman" (Isabella Rossellini) who offers her eternal youth. Of course there is a price - but will she pay it? What ensues for the last forty five minutes is really quite entertaining. Streep and Hawn look like they are enjoying themselves as their antics become comically macabre. Willis, the now bottle-hitting doctor - who has been largely reduced to manicuring corpses - is also clearly having some fun and Rossellini hams up wonderfully. The ending isn't my favourite, but I suppose it was "fair" and desserts were just. This is an amiable, feel-good, comedy with everyone on good form, some lovely snide dialogue and I liked it.

daniel_carr
Dec 30, 2025

Funny, great story and a twist in the plot! I'm a sci-fi, fantasy guy and this checked all the boxes for my. Even had romance, so it was a good movie. Had some big names so only thing missing for me was a little more action and a deeper history.

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