Masquerade
Performance & Direction: Masquerade Review
Last updated: February 26, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Masquerade (1988) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 5.6/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Drama.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Drama is often anchored by its ensemble, and Masquerade features a noteworthy lineup led by Rob Lowe . Supported by the likes of Meg Tilly and Kim Cattrall , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: Masquerade
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 1988, Masquerade is a Drama, Romance, Thriller film directed by Bob Swaim. The narrative explores complex human emotions and relationships through detailed character development. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Rob Lowe.
Ending Explained: Masquerade
Ending Breakdown: Directed by Bob Swaim, Masquerade attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to drama resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes involving Rob Lowe, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the drama themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of Masquerade reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch Masquerade?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for Drama films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
Top Cast: Masquerade
All Cast & Crew →
Where to Watch Masquerade Online?
Streaming Hub🎟️ Rent on
Apple TV Store
Amazon Video🏷️ Buy on
Apple TV StoreMasquerade Parents Guide & Age Rating
1988 AdvisoryWondering about Masquerade age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Masquerade is 91 minutes (1h 31m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 5.6/10, and global performance metrics, Masquerade is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1988 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Masquerade worth watching?
Masquerade is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies. It has a verified rating of 5.6/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Masquerade parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Masquerade identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Masquerade?
The total duration of Masquerade is 91 minutes, which is approximately 1h 31m long.
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Critic Reviews for Masquerade
"Masquerade" is a perfect piece of entertainment which has been heavily influenced by and made in the spirit of the classic film noir from the 1940's, although with some additional modern day factors - sex and violence and some nudity - to help attract an audience. The closing moments of this film are also very arresting, especially when we discover the revelation that no matter how their relationship may have begun Tim (Rob Lowe) really did fall in love with Olivia (Meg Tilly) and not just her money and as you would expect this incredibly well paced film - like many others preceding it - benefits greatly from John Barry's haunting musical score which has been beautifully tinged with a memorably subtle and a genuinely heartfelt melancholia.
**_Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to…_** A wealthy heiress in the Hamptons (Meg Tilly) falls for a handsome yacht captain (Rob Lowe), but there are human vultures seeking her fortune. John Glover plays her jerk stepfather while Doug Savant is on hand as a friend from her youth who’s also a local police officer. "Masquerade" (1988) is a ‘hip’ drama/romance with crime thrills and sweet Long Island locations, not to mention sailing sequences. It bombed at the box office because the studio was in chaos and the president’s wife hated “all that sex,” which resulted in Lowe not starring in another studio film for years. Aside from Meg on the female front, there’s Kim Cattrall as the yacht-owner’s adulterous wife and Dana Delany as the girlfriend of the stepfather. There are a couple of R-rated sex sequences and the corresponding nudity. As a plus, there’s a good message on the power of love to redeem a person from corruption. But there’s just so much duplicity going on it’s hard to relate to most of the characters. It’s almost comical how the heiress remains blitheful while evil people are swooping all around her. More reality and less movie-isms would’ve made for a better film. Still, it’s worth checking out if the above piques your interest. It runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot on Long Island (Riverhead, Sag Harbor, Shelter Island, Southampton Village and Broadview) with some bits in Manhattan. GRADE: B-
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This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
