Drowning by Numbers
Seen it?1988 | 119 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (88% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office loss and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved In Cold Blood, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Darkly funny.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 59 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Cissie Colpitts drowns her cheating husband and, in the ensuing cover-up, enlists the help of lonely coroner Henry Madgett, an old friend with a longstanding weakness for her charms. But when Cissie's daughter and granddaughter—both also named Cissie Colpitts—decide to resort to the same methods for solving conflicts with their own frustrating husbands, the women and their repeated appeals for help begin to wear on Madgett's conscience.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
88% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.0 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$425K worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 32K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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In Cold Blood
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Cast & crew
Directed by Peter Greenaway
- Joan PlowrightCissie Colpitts
- Juliet StevensonCissie Colpitts (Daughter)
- Joely RichardsonCissie Colpitts (Granddaughter)
- Bernard HillHenry Madgett
- Jason EdwardsSmut
- Bryan PringleJake
- Trevor CooperHardy
- David MorrisseyBellamy
- John RoganGregory
- Paul MooneyTeigan