Grey Gardens: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 22 Ratings

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8.6

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8.6	Your Score
8.6	User Score Universal acclaim based on 22 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: April 18, 2009

Starring: Daniel Baldwin, Ken Howard, Malcolm Gets

Summary: The 1973 documentary about Little Edie (Barrymore) and her mother, Big Edie (Lange), having been made into an award-winning Broadway play of the same name, is again dramatized as a film for HBO.

Genre(s): Drama

Season 1 Episodes

No episode information is currently available for this season

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Linda Stasi

I will tell you that Lange and Barrymore deserve Emmys as does the production, which is so authentic you can see the real silk char meuse oozing off socialite shoulders. Read full review

100

David Wiegand

People who watched the Maysleses' documentary when it came out probably found the women strange, to say the least, but may have also felt sympathy for them in the end. That's the feeling that director and co-screenwriter Michael Sucsy is going for in the HBO film, and he achieves it in spades. Read full review

Nancy DeWolf Smith

The HBO film Grey Gardens shines new light on old subjects, and the result--including a fantastic performance from Drew Barrymore--is beyond entertaining. Read full review

Jonathan Storm

There's art aplenty in a film that elicits emotion as it slowly draws you into a place you've certainly never been before, even if it may leave you wondering why you made the journey. Read full review

Ellen Gray

Lange disappears into Big Edie, particularly in her later years, conveying both her frustrations and her sometimes poisonous personality so successfully that you might almost forget how much makeup was required to make her look like that. But for all Barrymore's efforts to do the same with Little Edie, she's a little too obviously making an effort, succeeding best when she's channeling her character's desperation for the world's (and her mother's) approval. Read full review

Matthew Gilbert

It's a generally pleasing but flawed production. Read full review

David Hinckley

Lange is fine as the senior Edie, but Barrymore, for reasons not entirely her fault, seems off her game. Read full review

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User Score

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8.6

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User Reviews

RayG

Apr 23, 2009

Awesome. Should have been released to the theaters.

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EllenK

Apr 27, 2009

I was too busy living my own life in performance (first female radio talk show with daily call in show in Miami and Boston 1971-72) when all this happened to pay much note of the real story. However, Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange certainly captured the true essence of these two I was too busy living my own life in performance (first female radio talk show with daily call in show in Miami and Boston 1971-72) when all this happened to pay much note of the real story. However, Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange certainly captured the true essence of these two fascinating and provocative women. As the film progressed, I began to remember the story in all of its sordid details. I hope the "square-off" in the Best Actress Category for the Emmys results in a tie between the two of them, and awards for both of them. I give this HBO program an "A" on Ellen's Entertainment Report Card.… Expand

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NerijusD

Jun 7, 2009

Brilliant, moving, true to the original documentary.

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DeWayneG

Apr 21, 2009

This is the perfect and necessary companion piece to the Maysles brothers

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beingryanjude

Sep 1, 2014

Grey Gardens is truly special. And the film wouldn't be nearly as special without Jessica Lange or Drew Barrymore. It's a pleasant retelling of Kennedy's cousins.

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ArmondA

Apr 20, 2009

Having seen the original documentary film on which this docudrama is based I was left with a number of questions about the story surrounding the narrow time frame presented to us. After watching HBO's production last night my itch of curiosity felt well-scratched. As others have noted, Having seen the original documentary film on which this docudrama is based I was left with a number of questions about the story surrounding the narrow time frame presented to us. After watching HBO's production last night my itch of curiosity felt well-scratched. As others have noted, the production values were excellent and the acting ranged from acceptable to astonishing. Drew Barrymore's Little Edie impression was sometimes dead on and sometimes spoiled by personal mannerisms. Jessica Lange's work was terrific. A film like this shouldn't have an "ending", in the conventional sense of "wrap up" or "resolution", and the attempt to tack one on to this sad, grinding tale of human deterioration and decay seems unnecessary and insulting. So too is the heavily dramatic background music that moves right into the foreground as we head into the final scenes in the grand old family mansion. But rather than close this little comment on a sour note, let me again emphasize that the film does a fine job for those of us who've long been interested in this dark and strange true-life riches-to-rags story of squandered privilege. And compared to the MUSICAL!? that was based on the same original material...one could hardly call this straight dramatic version EXPLOITATIVE.… Expand

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eds

Apr 28, 2009

The accents were just terrible and distracting. It was like listening to Rose Kennedy trying to put on southern accent.

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Seasons & Episodes

77

Series Overview
Season 1

77
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: April 18, 2009
- No episode information is currently available for this season