Drowning by Numbers

1988
R
1h 58m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

11K

YOUR RATING

Joely Richardson in Drowning by Numbers (1988)

Three generations of women all share the same problem: marriage woes, and they want to put an end to it.

Play trailer2:52

2 Videos

79 Photos

Dark Comedy Satire Comedy Drama

Three generations of women share the same problem--marriage woes--and want to put an end to it.Three generations of women share the same problem--marriage woes--and want to put an end to it.Three generations of women share the same problem--marriage woes--and want to put an end to it.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 wins & 1 nomination

Trivia
According to Writer and Director Peter Greenaway, there are one hundred things beginning with the letter "s" in Smut's (Jason Edwards') room and one hundred things beginning with the letter "m" in Madgett's (Bernard Hill's) room.

Quotes
Smut: The object of this game is to dare to fall with a noose around your neck from a place sufficiently high enough off the ground, such that the fall will hang you. The object of the game is to punish those who have caused great unhappiness by their selfish actions. This is the best game of all, because the winner is also the loser, and the judge's decision is always final.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: One Good Cop/FX2/Switch/Spartacus/Drowning by Numbers (1991)

Soundtracks
2nd Movement of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra K354
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (as Mozart)
Performed by Alexander Balanescu (violin) and Jonathan Carney (viola)

User reviews46

Review

Featured review

7/10

Bye (the) numbers

English and dark humor - something you will get a lot of by watching the movie on hand here. This really will depend on your taste and how you like your movies delivered. The pacing is rather slow but consistent. The movie itself is also quite predictable (just the title right?) and then you have characters that seem not from this world.

But that is also how you should try to engage this. This is different, it does not really dabble in reality and is more like a play or a dream (though I have not checked what this is based on). So depending on your own taste and patience you will like this more or less than what I voted ... I would argue I'm right in the middle. Very well made for sure and really well acted (weirdness considered)