Verdict:The French Lieutenant's Woman is a confirmed FLOP based on our analysis of audience ratings and box office momentum.
With a rating of 6.4/10, it has delivered a mixed experience for fans of the Drama, Romance, History genre.
Answer: Yes, The French Lieutenant's Woman is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies.
It features a runtime of 124 minutes and offers a standard storyline that appeals to general audiences.
Last updated: January 11, 2026
Released in 1981, The French Lieutenant's Woman enters the Drama genre with a narrative focused on In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Under the direction of Karel Reisz, the film attempts to weave detailed character arcs with visual storytelling.
The film is anchored by performances from Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Hilton McRae. While the cast delivers competent performances, the script occasionally limits their range.
From a technical standpoint, The French Lieutenant's Woman offers a competent presentation. The cinematography uses a distinct visual palette that aligns well with the tone. While the 4K mastering highlights the production value, the pacing during its 124-minute runtime can feel deliberate.
Beyond the narrative, The French Lieutenant's Woman resonates with current cultural themes in the Drama space. It stays within the established boundaries of its genre, providing exactly what core fans expect without reinventing the wheel.
As of January 2026, The French Lieutenant's Woman is available in theaters worldwide. For streaming audiences in the US, UK, and India, look for availability on major platforms roughly 45-60 days after the theatrical release. Don't miss the high-definition experience provided by premium large format (PLF) screenings.
The plot of The French Lieutenant's Woman centers on a unique premise within the Drama landscape. In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity. The second act serves as a major turning point, leading to a climax that fans of 1981 cinema will find fairly predictable.
The ending of The French Lieutenant's Woman has sparked significant debate on social media. It signifies the ambiguous resolution of the main plot thread. Given the current box office momentum, discussions of a The French Lieutenant's Woman sequel or a wider cinematic universe are already gaining traction.
Final verdict for The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981): with an audience rating of 6.4/10, the reception has been divisive. It is a recommended for fans of Drama, Romance, History cinema who appreciate attention to detail.
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Worldwide Gross | $2,689,068 |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Analyzing the audience sentiment, IMDb rating of 6.4/10, and global collection metrics, The French Lieutenant's Woman stands as a challenging project for the creators. It remains an essential piece of the 1981 cinematic year.
The French Lieutenant's Woman has received mixed reviews with a 6.4/10 rating, making it a moderate success with the audience.
The French Lieutenant's Woman is a mixed bag. It might be worth watching if you're a fan of Drama, Romance, History movies, but read reviews first.
The French Lieutenant's Woman is a Drama, Romance, History movie that In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters...
The French Lieutenant's Woman has received mixed reviews with a 6.4/10 rating, making it a moderate success with the audience.
The French Lieutenant's Woman is a mixed bag. It might be worth watching if you're a fan of Drama, Romance, History movies, but read reviews first.
The French Lieutenant's Woman is a Drama, Romance, History movie that In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters...
The French Lieutenant's Woman is a Drama, Romance, History movie. Please check the content rating before watching with family.
You can find streaming options and availability for The French Lieutenant's Woman on popular platforms. Check movieMx for the latest updates and reviews.
The French Lieutenant's Woman features a talented cast. Check our "Top Cast" section to see the full list of actors and the characters they play in this film.
The runtime and duration of The French Lieutenant's Woman are available in the movie details section. It's a gripping story that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
Usually if there are two separate timelines featured in a story, the director tries to ensure that we cannot readily distinguish between one that might be true and one that might be artificial. It's the complete opposite that really works well here as we mingle the story of an 18th century woman living within the constraints of high Victorian society with a more profligate 1970s one. To fit out the earlier scenario, we meet the shy "Sarah" (Meryl Streep) who is rebounding from a liaison with the titular French lieutenant by having an even less suitable assignation with the altogether more decent "Charles" (Jeremy Irons). The modern day scenario has the same two actors playing "Anna" and "Mike", only both are married to others and they are the "real" life actors portraying these other characters in a film of their lives. Now we get to experience the story of both relationships undulating in parallel. It sounds way more complex than it actually is as a combination of Harold Pinter's adaptation of the original novel and the acting from both Streep and Irons manages to convince us that though we are seeing two separate stories play out before us, they have remarkable similarities in the life imitating art sort of space. I preferred the older scenario, but only because the supporting cast of characters could make much more of their rigid, sexist and downright hypocritical environment and Streep works well with her frankly quite insipid "Sarah". The more modern day story tended more to soap for my liking: their behaviour more duplicitous, selfish and that led to a disappointing degree of predicability. More relatable, if you like. I'm not really a fan of Irons, but here he works well across both iterations and gels remarkably well with a Streep who seems to morph from both of her persona effortlessly and convincingly. The pace can dawdle at times, and maybe Karel Reisz could have just tightened things up a little at the rather plodding start, but the production design across both storylines looks good and it's once the tram lines are laid down and the two become entrenched, it becomes quite a compelling story of love, lust, betrayal and lies.