Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 Stanley Kubrick drama starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Its slow, unsettling story of marriage, jealousy and fantasy has earned a case for masterpiece status—but the “76% on Rotten Tomatoes” figure in the headline needs context: the Rotten Tomatoes page accessed October 7, 2026, showed a 77% Tomatometer score and a 74% Popcornmeter, while Google Play displayed 76%.
What is Eyes Wide Shut about?
Tom Cruise plays Dr. William “Bill” Harford, whose wife, Alice, played by Nicole Kidman, tells him about a sexual fantasy involving another man. Her confession unsettles Bill. Over the course of a night, he becomes fixated on sex and desire, and his encounters lead him toward a secretive sexual gathering.
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Eyes Wide Shut: Special Edition (BD) [Blu-ray] | $11.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Eyes Wide Shut (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] | $32.28 | Buy on Amazon |
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The plot is less a conventional thriller than a study of what Bill thinks he knows about his wife, himself and the people around him. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film’s genre as Drama; its critics consensus calls it “Kubrick’s intense study of the human psyche” and says it “yields an impressive cinematic work.” That is the site’s collective critics consensus, not a quotation from Kubrick or one named reviewer.
What does the 76% Rotten Tomatoes figure mean?
The score varies by listing. As accessed October 7, 2026, Rotten Tomatoes showed a 77% Tomatometer from 167 reviews and a 74% Popcornmeter. Google Play’s film listing showed a 76% Tomatometer. The listings do not establish when Rotten Tomatoes itself displayed exactly 76%, so that figure should not be presented as the current score on its film page.
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A Tomatometer percentage is a measure of the share of counted reviews classified as positive, not a rating out of 100 that directly measures a film’s quality. These are live listing values and can change. The difference between them explains the headline’s figure; it does not settle whether the film is a masterpiece.
Why the film can make a case for masterpiece status
The film’s premise gives it a clear emotional starting point—marital jealousy—but Bill’s subsequent night does not resolve into a simple answer about what is real, imagined or understood. That uncertainty is part of the experience: viewers can follow the incidents while still debating what they reveal about desire and the couple’s relationship.
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Its source offers another useful lens. Eyes Wide Shut is inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s novella Dream Story (Traumnovelle), published in 1926. The film relocates the events to 1990s New York, rather than presenting a literal retelling. Comparing the novella’s early-20th-century context with the film’s modern setting helps show how an adaptation can transform a story’s atmosphere and social world without requiring one definitive interpretation.
Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus offers a measured argument for its artistic achievement, describing the result as an “impressive cinematic work.” Whether that makes the film a masterpiece is a judgment, not a fact established by a score or a consensus statement. Its ambiguity is also a potential barrier: viewers expecting a fast-moving, conventional thriller may find its pace and unresolved tensions less satisfying.
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Is Eyes Wide Shut based on a book?
Yes. The film is inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s Dream Story, known in German as Traumnovelle. The AFI Catalog identifies the novella as published in Berlin in 1926. The Venice Biennale describes the film as transposing the story to 1990s New York. “Inspired by” is the more accurate description than “a literal adaptation.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you watch or buy Eyes Wide Shut?
Availability depends on your country, service and date; the sources available here do not establish a current streaming option or retailer stock. For physical media, Warner Bros. Japan documents a Japanese Blu-ray release dated April 21, 2010. That record confirms a release in Japan, but not current availability, compatibility with players in other regions or the details of editions sold elsewhere. Check the exact edition and your player’s region compatibility before buying.
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