in this movie director stephen frears try to tell the dr. jekyll and mr. hyde from a different view point while that of housemaid mary reilly . he do this in a subtle and slow and dark style . that all combine make mary reilly an uneasy and unpleasant movie to watch that all style over substance . the movie lack scare and tension and mystery and an overall good pace . it hard to say what be the big problem and failure of the movie and since there be so many little thing present in this movie and which all combine make this movie a failed attempt . one of them be the story itself . it not only be tell slow and perhaps even bore and it also feature lot of unneeded sequence with uninteresting character involve . another major problem i have with this movie be it style . this movie be dark than dark . i do not know and for some reason a movie that be entirely dark just doesn not ever work out a a scary or mysterious one . it dark style rather make this movie an uneasy one to watch . grant that the cinematography be good and so be the set and costume but this be mostly ruin and push to the back by the overly dark and depress atmosphere of the movie . everything also isn not tell in the most arousing pace and which cause this movie at time to be a drag and far from interest one . normally julia robert obviously be one fine actress but not in this movie . she feel out of place and basically all she do in this movie be look scared with her big eye . not her fine moment . i also expect more from john malkovich . i mean and he seem like the perfect guy to portray the evil and scary mr. hyde but he get very little interest to do in this movie . lot be imply in this movie but very little be actually show on screen . the movie also feature michael gambon and glenn close and michael sheen and ciarán hind in an early role . they be fine but they basically add very little to the story in their little role and which seem to have be write just for them and so they could be in this movie . i also do not like how they change the mr. poole the butler character . poole be a loyal and friendly and hard work man but in this movie he be more portrayed a a villainous tough bos and who you do not want to mess with . also perhaps the most laughable and unbelievable element of the movie be that the dr. jekyll and mr. hyde character look obviously alike . both be of course play by john malkovich but no make up be apply and he doesn not alter his voice . some voice and same hand and same face and same eye but yet nobody recognize mr. hyde a dr. jekyll . basically only difference between the two character be that mr. hyde have long hair and dr. jekyll be unshaven . also their personality be actually much alike . i really do not see so much difference between the good dr. jekyll and the evil mr. hyde . the end and although it good look and effective and be a letdown that doesn not feel like a fitting end at all . this movie be definitely not an easy one to watch . if youre not familiar at all with the dr. jekyll and mr. hyde story and write by robert louis stevenson and than this movie be completely unwatchable and not understandable to watch for you and as well a an even big bore than it already be at certain moment . a failure but a beautiful one and that still be not worth see . 4/10 .