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IMDbPro

Bliss

  • 1997
  • R
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
Bliss (1997)
Bliss: Sometimes I Wonder
Play clip1:21
Watch Bliss: Sometimes I Wonder
1 Video
34 Photos
DramaRomance

A newly married happy couple visits a sex therapist to determine why the wife can't achieve an orgasm with her husband. This causes a horrific suppressed memory to emerge and she becomes mor... Read allA newly married happy couple visits a sex therapist to determine why the wife can't achieve an orgasm with her husband. This causes a horrific suppressed memory to emerge and she becomes more and more distant.A newly married happy couple visits a sex therapist to determine why the wife can't achieve an orgasm with her husband. This causes a horrific suppressed memory to emerge and she becomes more and more distant.

  • Director
    • Lance Young
  • Writer
    • Lance Young
  • Stars
    • Craig Sheffer
    • Terence Stamp
    • Sheryl Lee
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    2.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Lance Young
    • Writer
      • Lance Young
    • Stars
      • Craig Sheffer
      • Terence Stamp
      • Sheryl Lee
    • 37User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Bliss: Sometimes I Wonder
    Clip 1:21
    Watch Bliss: Sometimes I Wonder

    Photos34

    Craig Sheffer and Sheryl Lee in Bliss (1997)
    1 sheet
    Bliss (1997)
    Craig Sheffer and Sheryl Lee in Bliss (1997)
    Craig Sheffer and Sheryl Lee in Bliss (1997)
    Craig Sheffer and Sheryl Lee in Bliss (1997)
    Bliss (1997)
    Craig Sheffer and Sheryl Lee in Bliss (1997)
    Bliss (1997)
    Sheryl Lee in Bliss (1997)
    Craig Sheffer in Bliss (1997)
    Terence Stamp in Bliss (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Craig Sheffer
    Craig Sheffer
    • Joseph
    Terence Stamp
    Terence Stamp
    • Baltazar
    Sheryl Lee
    Sheryl Lee
    • Maria
    Casey Siemaszko
    Casey Siemaszko
    • Tanner
    Spalding Gray
    Spalding Gray
    • Alfred
    Leigh Taylor-Young
    Leigh Taylor-Young
    • Redhead
    Lois Chiles
    Lois Chiles
    • Eva
    Blu Mankuma
    Blu Mankuma
    • Nick
    Ken Camroux-Taylor
    Ken Camroux-Taylor
    • Hank
    • (as Ken Camroux)
    Pamela Perry
    • Dottie
    Eli Gabay
    Eli Gabay
    • Carlos
    Molly Parker
    Molly Parker
    • Connie
    Hiro Kanagawa
    Hiro Kanagawa
    • Doctor
    Merrilyn Gann
    Merrilyn Gann
    • Motel Woman
    Gillian Barber
    Gillian Barber
    • Therapist
    Peter Kelamis
    Peter Kelamis
    • Neighbor
    Norman Armour
    Norman Armour
    • Patient
    David Glyn-Jones
    • Priest
    • Director
      • Lance Young
    • Writer
      • Lance Young
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      Maria: I have had orgasms, just not with you.

    • Crazy credits
      Special Thanks to INDIA.
    • Alternate versions
      Some more explicit shots were omitted from the sex scenes to earn an "R" rating, replacing the MPAA's previous "NC-17" rating.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Con Air/Bliss/Buddy/The Pillow Book/The Quiet Room (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      You Don't Own Me
      Written by John Madara (as John Madera) & Dave White

      Performed by Lesley Gore

      Published by Unichappell Music, Inc. (BMI)

      Courtesy of Mercury Records by arrangement with PolyGram Film and Television Licensing

    User reviews37

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Blue move for nice people
    This is an odd little movie about a handsome yuppie couple, Maria and Joseph, who have serious emotional problems. She is frigid and possesses a "borderline" personality (whatever that is), he is obsessed with "curing" her - making her more to his liking. Naturally, therapy is called for. After some initial unproductive consultations with a marriage counsellor, a more unorthodox therapist is resorted to. This rather preposterous figure, Balthazar, (he is a violinist of concert standard and ace motor mechanic as well as therapist and lives in a grand booklined apartment), has sex with his female patients and generally carries on as if he were above the rest of humanity. In real life of course he would be quickly struck off, despite the lines of satisfied patients trooping out of his rooms. Initially antagonistic, Joseph becomes an acolyte, and eagerly soaks up the mish mash of yoga, breathing control, masturbation, mind games and crackerbarrel philosophy served up by the arrogant one. The couple make some progress (discovering bondage with Joseph as the slave helps) until a nasty secret from Maria's past comes out and, unable to deal with both it and her awakened husband, she asks him to leave. But all is not lost, time heals wounds and there is a reconciliation.

    The problem with this movie is its inconsistency. It starts off as a comedy but veers mid way through into personal drama intercut with some fairly didactic lectures on sexual relations. There are some nice soft porny bits (in blue!) with the handsome couple that tend to detract from their severe psychological problems rather than illustrate them. The theme "screwing is as much a mind game as anything" does emerge reasonably clearly but it also helps, it seems, to be young, rich and gorgeous. The film apparently did not do well at the box office - a comedy or a porn film with a similar storyline would doubtless have done better. Believe me, it's not easy to deliver entertaining lectures.

    I am also left wondering about Joseph's alleged "Pygmalion" complex - the desire to model the woman of his dreams out of Maria. He spends most of the movie on a quest for self-improvement, his attitude towards women in general improving considerably.

    Terrence Stamp, British journeyman actor from way back, turns in an attractive performance as Dr Balthazar, "practising at the edge of the law," as another analyst puts it. All glistening eyes and shiny silver hair, he holds back just enough to allow a tiny bit of parody to emerge. Craig Sheffer as Joseph has porn star good looks (muscles, no body hair), a perpetually surprised expression, and a reasonable acting range. We see more of him than Maria, (Sheryl Lee, of "Twin Peaks" fame.) Maria spends a lot of time crying, which Sheryl seems to be good at.

    Location filming was in Vancouver, which provided some pretty backdrops. The streetscape was far too clean and tidy to be any large city in the U.S. Canadians might be a buttoned down lot but at least they pick up their rubbish. The film is apparently a first effort from writer/director Lance Young, formerly a production executive. One could be cruel and say "stick with your day job" but it is not an uninteresting movie. There are solid acting, nice locations and a few interesting ideas. Yet the story itself is highly improbable, and the people involved too pretty and stupid to really engender much empathy in the viewer.
    helpful•19
    9
    • Philby-3
    • May 26, 1999

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 14, 1997 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bliss: At the Moment of Pleasure
    • Filming locations
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Triumph Films
      • Stewart Pictures
      • Pacific Motion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $294,064
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $54,547
      • Jun 8, 1997
    • Gross worldwide
      • $294,064
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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