Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Kernel Score: 88% · 6,881 ratings · Rated R

Genres: Drama, Thriller, Mystery

Released: 1999-07-16

Runtime: 160 minutes

Is Eyes Wide Shut worth watching?

Depends on your taste. Stanley Kubrick's final film is a slow, dreamlike thriller about jealousy, desire and secret rituals. It's rich and strange, and some find it hypnotic while others find it cold and slow.

Watch it if you

  • like Kubrick's cold, controlled style
  • enjoy slow psychological mysteries
  • want a film that you'll be thinking about afterwards

Skip it if you

  • want a clear thriller plot
  • dislike slow pacing

Best for: Late-night in

Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.

Where to watch Eyes Wide Shut

  • Stream: HBO Max
  • Rent: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango At Home
  • Buy: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango At Home

US availability, updated 2026-10-23.

Overview

After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings -- and quickly discovers that he is in over his head.

Eyes Wide Shut parents' guide: ages 16+

Parents need to know that Eyes Wide Shut is an adult psychological thriller centered on sexual obsession, an underground orgy/secret society, and marital tension, rated R.

  • Violence & scariness: A little — Little overt violence; tension and menace from a secretive cult rather than physical fights.
  • Sex, romance & nudity: Intense — Central plot involves sexual obsession, prostitution, an orgy, and a masked sexual ritual; explicit adult content throughout.
  • Drinking, drugs & smoking: Some — Marijuana use and a Christmas party with drinking are depicted.
  • Products & purchases: A little — Keyword flags consumerism as a background theme but it is not a major focus.

Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.

Movies like Eyes Wide Shut

If you liked Eyes Wide Shut, these are the movies we'd watch next.

  • The Shining (1980) — 95%: Kubrick's famous chiller about a mind coming apart.
  • A Clockwork Orange (1971) — 90%: Kubrick's provocative look at violence and control.
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) — 94%: Kubrick's cool, ambitious masterwork.
  • Full Metal Jacket (1987) — 90%: Kubrick again, this time about war and dehumanisation.
  • Blue Velvet (1986) — 87%: Dark, strange tale of desire in an ordinary town.
  • Mulholland Drive (2001) — 87%: Dreamlike mystery that refuses easy answers.

Director

Stanley Kubrick

Cast

  • Tom Cruise as Dr. William Harford
  • Nicole Kidman as Alice Harford
  • Sydney Pollack as Victor Ziegler
  • Marie Richardson as Marion
  • Rade Šerbedžija as Milich
  • Todd Field as Nick Nightingale
  • Vinessa Shaw as Domino
  • Alan Cumming as Desk Clerk
  • Sky du Mont as Sandor Szavost
  • Fay Masterson as Sally

Eyes Wide Shut FAQ

Is Eyes Wide Shut worth watching?

Depends on your taste. Stanley Kubrick's final film is a slow, dreamlike thriller about jealousy, desire and secret rituals. It's rich and strange, and some find it hypnotic while others find it cold and slow.

Where can I watch Eyes Wide Shut?

In the US you can stream Eyes Wide Shut on HBO Max and rent it from Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango At Home.

Is Eyes Wide Shut OK for kids?

Eyes Wide Shut is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 16+. Parents need to know that Eyes Wide Shut is an adult psychological thriller centered on sexual obsession, an underground orgy/secret society, and marital tension, rated R.

What movies are like Eyes Wide Shut?

If you liked Eyes Wide Shut, try The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Full Metal Jacket.