My Cousin Rachel – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

My Cousin Rachel

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2017

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Slow-burn gothic romance where critics saw atmospheric mystery and audiences saw... a lot of corsets and not much happening.

76%

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My Cousin Rachel

movie

PG-13, 2017

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Slow-burn gothic romance where critics saw atmospheric mystery and audiences saw... a lot of corsets and not much happening.

76%

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the deal: critics liked this moody gothic adaptation, giving it 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences? They gave it 45%. That 31-point gap tells you everything.

This is a beautifully shot but glacially-paced costume drama about obsession, suspected murder, and toxic romantic entanglement. It's based on a Daphne du Maurier novel (she wrote Rebecca), so there's literary pedigree here. But let's be real—even adults who love period pieces found this one a slog.

For families, this is a hard pass until kids are at least 14, and even then, only if they're already into slow, psychologically complex dramas. The themes are dark (murder, manipulation, obsession), the relationship dynamics are unhealthy, and the pacing will test the patience of anyone under 40.

If you've got a teen who devoured Jane Eyre and is ready for something darker and more ambiguous, maybe. But for most families looking for quality entertainment? There are better period dramas that won't put half the room to sleep.

Age Fit

This is strictly for mature teens (14+) and adults who enjoy slow-burn period dramas with dark psychological themes. Younger viewers would find it both inappropriate and mind-numbingly boring.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a dark, psychologically manipulative period drama centered on themes of obsession, possible murder, and toxic romantic entanglement. The protagonist plots revenge against his cousin whom he suspects murdered his guardian, while simultaneously becoming romantically obsessed with her. The emotional tone is brooding, paranoid, and unhealthy—hardly modeling kindness or cooperation. The relationship dynamics are manipulative and potentially abusive, making this emotionally complex in ways that aren't developmentally healthy for younger viewers.

Imaginative

Based on a Daphne du Maurier novel, the film presents a gothic mystery with psychological intrigue and period setting (19th century Cornwall). The ambiguous 'did she or didn't she' murder mystery offers some narrative complexity and invites viewers to piece together clues. However, it's a fairly straightforward adaptation of classic gothic romance tropes without particularly innovative storytelling or visual imagination. The Letterboxd 3/5 and mixed audience reception (45% RT audience) suggest it doesn't fully capitalize on its creative potential.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this at 14+, and the content includes adult themes of murder suspicion, poisoning, obsessive romantic/sexual tension, and psychological manipulation. While not graphically violent or sexually explicit, the film contains mature romantic content and dark themes of potential murder and betrayal that would be inappropriate and disturbing for younger viewers. The psychological toxicity and unhealthy relationship dynamics present safety concerns beyond just content ratings—this depicts obsession and manipulation as central plot elements.

Enriching

As a period drama adaptation of literary classic, it offers some exposure to 19th-century British society, gothic literature traditions, and complex narrative ambiguity. The 76% critic score on RT and 63 Metacritic suggest professional appreciation for its craft. However, the 45% audience score and 6.0 IMDB rating indicate it's slow-paced and doesn't resonate broadly. The moral ambiguity could prompt discussions about perception, truth, and manipulation, but the film's sluggish pacing and dated costume-drama style make it hard to engage with for modern viewers, limiting its enrichment value.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Introduces gothic literature traditions and Daphne du Maurier's psychological complexity for teens interested in classic mystery
Beautifully shot period piece with strong production values and atmospheric Cornwall settings
The central 'did she murder him?' ambiguity could spark discussions about unreliable narrators and perception vs. reality
For older teens into moody costume dramas, offers a darker alternative to typical period romance

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What to Watch For

Themes of obsession, suspected murder, and psychological manipulation throughout—this is dark material
Romantic/sexual tension between cousins (though they're not blood-related, it's still their dynamic)
Extremely slow pacing that even many adults found tedious—the 31-point gap between critic and audience RT scores tells the story
Emotionally unhealthy relationship dynamics modeled as central to the plot

Conversation Starters

"Do you think Rachel actually poisoned Ambrose, or was Philip just paranoid? What evidence points either way?"
"Why do you think Philip's feelings kept changing so dramatically—from hatred to obsession?"
"How does the film show the difference between what someone believes is true versus what's actually true?"
"What would you have done differently if you were in Philip's position?"

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