--- title: "Truly Madly Deeply" year: 1991 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply" fi1m_id: "truly-madly-deeply" imdb_id: "tt0103129" tmdb_id: 18317 wikidata_id: "Q2164431" fi1m_score: 80 critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 7 published: "2026-09-13" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:46.671314+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Truly Madly Deeply (1991) Directed by Anthony Minghella · 1h 46m · MPA PG · Fantasy, Drama, Comedy, Romance ## Identity Truly Madly Deeply - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** truly-madly-deeply - **IMDb ID:** tt0103129 - **TMDB ID:** 18317 - **Wikidata ID:** Q2164431 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103129/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/18317, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2164431 **Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 68 from 7 reviews *In a sentence:* Even a ghostly boyfriend can be a nuisance, which is rather reassuring > Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman make this ghost romance moving, funny and worth the occasional wince at its sweetness. Anthony Minghella trusts his actors more successfully than he trusts us to feel without encouragement. ## Synopsis Nina (Juliet Stevenson) is grieving for her lover Jamie (Alan Rickman), struggling to imagine a life without him. When Jamie returns as a ghost, the reunion seems to give her the thing she longs for. But his presence brings the demands of a relationship back along with its comforts, complicating the distinction between remembering someone and living with them. Written and directed by Anthony Minghella, this fantasy romance follows Nina through bereavement and an unexpected renewal of companionship. Michael Maloney, Bill Paterson and Deborah Findlay also appear. ## Review Anthony Minghella’s *Truly Madly Deeply* is a moving, funny romance with one irritating habit: it occasionally insists on being charming. We recommend it for Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman, who make the grief and the ghost equally convincing. Minghella, who also writes the screenplay, asks what happens when bereavement is interrupted by the person being mourned. Nina wants Jamie back, and the film takes that wish seriously enough to consider the difficulties of granting it. Stevenson’s Nina gives the fantasy something substantial to work with before there is anything supernatural to explain. We were moved by her early grief, because Stevenson makes the longing for Jamie feel embarrassingly private. There is no need to admire the character’s courage before caring about her pain. Stevenson allows Nina to be absorbed by what she has lost, and that gives the reunion its force: we understand why this woman needs the impossible to happen. Rickman’s Jamie is funny partly because returning from the dead has not made him an ideal companion. His selfishness is recognisable, and Rickman finds amusement in it without making Nina seem foolish for loving him. The performance gives her longing a useful complication, since the person she misses can also be a nuisance. Together, the actors make affection convincing without pretending that either a relationship or its sudden restoration could be effortless. Remi Adefarasin’s cinematography gives the performances the prominence they need; Stevenson’s distress holds our attention without the photography demanding admiration of its own. Barbara Gosnold’s production design gives the supernatural romance a welcome ordinariness, helping Jamie feel like someone Nina might actually live with. John Stothart’s editing is more persuasive with the grief than with some of the changes into comedy. Those shifts can make Nina’s pain seem too easily set aside, just when the actors have persuaded us to take it seriously. Barrington Pheloung’s music is less welcome when it presses for tenderness already supplied by Stevenson. Minghella has a related weakness as a writer: he sometimes seems unwilling to leave an uncomfortable feeling alone, reaching for sweetness or humour too quickly. The jokes give Rickman useful room, but not every change of mood earns its place. This is where the film becomes cloying, and the effect is frustrating because the central performances require so little assistance. The humour still belongs here. A ghost romance has an obvious temptation to make the returned lover perfect, and Minghella gets considerable mileage from allowing Jamie to be difficult. That gives the comedy a purpose beyond providing relief between passages of mourning. The trouble comes when the film appears too pleased with its own gentleness, softening feelings that Stevenson has made painful and particular. Its 106 minutes ask for some tolerance of that sweetness, but the actors repay it. Choose it for an evening when a romance can accommodate irritation as well as devotion, and when laughter need not mean the sadness has been dealt with. Anyone usually suspicious of a comforting ghost story should give Stevenson the chance to make it uncomfortable. *Fi1m score 80, published 13 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to this intimate treatment of grief and a lover’s ghostly return, with praise clustering around Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman. Stevenson’s portrayal of bereavement gives the film much of its emotional credibility, while the leads’ performances help Anthony Minghella move between distress and comedy. The favourable reviews also value his dialogue and humane direction, finding wit and emotional honesty in a premise frequently compared with Ghost. The spread is wide, and the disagreement centres on whether the supernatural humour sustains or weakens the treatment of loss. Empire admires the performances but finds that the ghosts undermine the seriousness. Time Out considers the bereavement metaphor overstretched and the tone cloying, despite the actors’ efforts. The New York Times is the clearest dissenter, finding the material sugary and smug rather than enchanting. Even the less enthusiastic reviews generally acknowledge the strength of the acting. ## Straight answers **Is Truly Madly Deeply worth watching?** *Truly Madly Deeply* is worth watching for Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman, who make the grief and the ghost equally convincing, and we scored it 80. It is moving and funny, though Anthony Minghella occasionally reaches for sweetness when the actors have already done the work. Choose it for an evening when a romance can hold irritation as well as devotion. **How long is Truly Madly Deeply, and what is it rated?** *Truly Madly Deeply* runs 1h 46m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is a fantasy and drama film. **Where can I watch Truly Madly Deeply in the US?** *Truly Madly Deeply* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $1.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Truly Madly Deeply compare to A Matter of Life and Death?** *Truly Madly Deeply* is the smaller and more domestic of the two, a ghost romance about living with someone you have mourned, while [*A Matter of Life and Death*](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death) is a larger fantasy about whether life is worth the celestial fuss. Powell and Pressburger's film is the easier to recommend to almost anyone; Minghella's asks more patience with its sweetness but repays it with Stevenson's private, painful grief. **What should I watch after Truly Madly Deeply?** After *Truly Madly Deeply*, try [*A Matter of Life and Death*](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death) (1946, Fi1m 92): Another romance that makes room for the afterlife without forgetting the living. Then [*After Life*](https://film.one/film/after-life) (1998, Fi1m 85): A quieter afterlife fantasy, concerned with the memories people choose to keep; and [*The Ghost and Mrs Muir*](https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir) (1947, Fi1m 84): For more ghostly companionship, with a romance built around stubborn personalities. ### Reviews we read (7) - **The New Yorker**, Terrence Rafferty (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a lovely, original comedy and the work of a mature artist with a fresh and startlingly humane vision, praising Minghella's direction, dialogue, and the remarkable performances by Stevenson and Rickman. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1991/05/06/1991-05-06-027-tny-cards-000143938) - **Radio Times**, Sue Heal (4/5): Dubbed the British Ghost, this romantic drama is a far more witty and incisive affair distinguished by glorious performances from Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson. Its strengths include emotional integrity throughout and Anthony Minghella's skill at blending pathos with well-aimed humour. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-bbuscu/truly-madly-deeply/) - **Variety** (80/100, inferred): The review praises the sharply scripted study as an impressive directorial debut, noting fine ensemble playing and strong performances especially by Stevenson, while acknowledging surface similarities to Ghost but a different feel and theme. [Read](https://variety.com/1990/film/reviews/truly-madly-deeply-1200428667/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an odd but moving take on ghosts returning from the afterlife, praising the convincing early scenes of grief and reunion as well as the strong performances by Stevenson and Rickman. He notes it leads to some profound truths about choosing between worlds. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/truly-madly-deeply-1991) - **Empire**, William Thomas (60/100, inferred): The film is a BBC-funded mood piece about a woman's reaction to her lover's death and his ghostly return, more intimate than blockbuster fare like Ghost. It shifts from honest grief to humor, with strong performances from Stevenson and Rickman, though the ghosts undermine its serious intent. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/truly-madly-deeply-review/) - **Time Out**, TCh (55/100, inferred): The BBC's sweet, feminine answer to Ghost focuses on Juliet Stevenson's emotional turmoil after her lover's death, with Alan Rickman returning as a chauvinistic ghost. The bereavement metaphor is over-extended and Minghella tends to cloy, but Stevenson's performance nearly succeeds and Rickman's apparition provides fun moments. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/truly-madly-deeply) - **The New York Times** (40/100, inferred): The review compares the film unfavorably to Ghost and finds it should be enchanting but ultimately isn't, criticizing the gooey and smug material despite good actors who work hard on it. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/03/movies/review-film-living-or-dead-too-good-to-be-true.html) ## Details - **Director:** Anthony Minghella - **Director:** Anthony Minghella - **Writer:** Anthony Minghella - **Cinematography:** Remi Adefarasin - **Editor:** John Stothart - **Music:** Barrington Pheloung - **Production design:** Barbara Gosnold - **Costume design:** James Keast - **Producer:** Robert Cooper - **Cast:** Juliet Stevenson as Nina; Alan Rickman as Jamie; Michael Maloney as Mark; Bill Paterson as Sandy; Christopher Rozycki as Titus; David Ryall as George; Deborah Findlay as Claire; Jenny Howe as Burge - **Runtime:** 1h 46m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG - **Release (the US):** 3 May 1991 - **Genres:** Fantasy, Drama, Comedy, Romance ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $1.99, sd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $7.99, sd *Checked 2026-09-13.* Also available in: AT, GB, IE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *A Matter of Life and Death* (1946), Fi1m 92: Another romance that makes room for the afterlife without forgetting the living. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death.md) - *After Life* (1998), Fi1m 85: A quieter afterlife fantasy, concerned with the memories people choose to keep. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/after-life.md) - *The Ghost and Mrs Muir* (1947), Fi1m 84: For more ghostly companionship, with a romance built around stubborn personalities. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir.md) - *The Lunchbox* (2013), Fi1m 75: For loneliness, awkward companionship and affection that develops without much fuss. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox.md) - *A Ghost Story* (2017), Fi1m 84: A sterner treatment of absence, for those willing to sit with silence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-ghost-story.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/truly-madly-deeply