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Whispers in the Dark

Whispers in the Dark

Deception. Betrayal. Seduction. Murder. Her life depends on every word.

1992103 minRMidcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Director
Christopher Crowe
Starring
Annabella Sciorra, Jamey Sheridan, Anthony LaPaglia, Jill Clayburgh

Psychiatrist Ann Hecker is ending one relationship and possibly starting an important new one, while finding that some of the sexual exploits her patients relate are weighing on her. Turning to a married friend from her research days for guidance, she finds his help increasingly important when a female patient is murdered and it turns out that her new boyfriend was also seeing the dead woman.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Whispers in the Dark?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Whispers in the Dark to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Whispers in the Dark?

Whispers in the Dark earns 4 badges, led by Before they were famous and Box Office Flop.

  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Whispers in the Dark worth watching?

Whispers in the Dark's Midcredits score is the 27th percentile of all films, from 3.9K ratings across 4 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

27th percentile

Better received than 27% of films

22nd percentile among Drama29th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)32nd
Approval (how many liked it)24th

56 /100

32nd percentile of all films

28th percentile among Drama34th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

19th percentile among Drama26th percentile among 1990s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

Critics 33% · Audience 72%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

67th percentile

3.9K ratings across platforms

70th percentile among Drama61st percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 27% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$18M
Opening weekend$3.2M
Domestic gross$11M
Worldwide gross$11M

Returned 0.6× its budget — 86th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

An early-90s erotic thriller with a convoluted murder mystery and a cast that works harder than the script deserves.

Fans praised

  • Entertaining twisty plot with unpredictable reveals
  • Strong cast delivering engaging performances, especially Sciorra and Unger
  • Suspenseful atmosphere with effective erotic tension

Detractors panned

  • Ridiculous, laughable ending undermines the entire film
  • Contrived plot full of illogical coincidences and heavy-handed reveals
  • Sleazy and tawdry tone with gratuitous sexual content

What stands out

ActingDivisive68

Mixed assessments: Sciorra and Unger praised, Alda and Sheridan criticized

AtmosphereDivisive55

Moody psychological thriller tone partially succeeds

TensionDivisive50

Effective early suspense lost to absurd plot turns

PacingDivisive50

Starts slow, picks up mid-movie, then goes off the rails

Plot and storyDivisive45

Twisty but contrived, with improbable coincidences and ridiculous final act

CharactersDivisive45

Underwritten and unengaging, especially the shrink protagonist

OriginalityDivisive35

Derivative Basic Instinct clone

EndingDivisive20

Widely derided as preposterous and laughable

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Whispers in the Dark like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something that leaves you smiling.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you can only half-watch or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseColdDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its erotic thriller material with earnest suspense but veers into melodramatic excess.
The rideThe mood is tense and cold throughout, building to a heavier, more suspenseful climax as the murder mystery deepens.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly, following the psychiatrist's investigation and the mounting suspense.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves a mix of entertainment and unease from its sleazy thriller elements.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA psychiatrist becomes entangled in a murder investigation after her patient is killed, and she must discover the true killer while clearing her own name.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a psychiatrist entangled in a murder mystery where lies, hidden affairs, and unclear motives force her to question whom to trust.
StanceThe film questions the reliability of truth and trust in intimate relationships, focusing on Ann's personal journey to uncover the truth.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Thomas Newman
SettingNew York City, psychiatrist's office and affluent apartments
MusicThomas Newman's score complements the suspenseful, brooding atmosphere with modern orchestral touches.

Content guide

Is Whispers in the Dark okay for kids?

R

Whispers in the Dark is rated R: “Rated R for strong sexuality and violence, and for language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (78/100), sexual content at moderate (56/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Hungary18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 66%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (23 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Whispers in the Dark have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Whispers in the Dark?

Cast

Annabella Sciorra
as Ann Hecker
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jamey Sheridan
as Doug McDowell
Anthony LaPaglia
as Larry Morgenstern
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jill Clayburgh
as Sarah Green
John Leguizamo
as John Castillo
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Deborah Kara Unger
as Eve Abergray
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Anthony Heald
as Paul
Alan Alda
as Leo Green
Jacqueline Brookes
as Lorraine McDowell
Gene Canfield
as Billy O'Meara
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Whispers in the Dark?

Movies like Whispers in the Dark include Perfect Stranger (2007), Still of the Night (1982) and Dressed to Kill (1980). Of the 12 closest matches, most are investigation stories, and several are films set in academia.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: deception. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Whispers in the Dark?

1.4K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: doctor. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.