“Libraries are full of stories of people who go out and never come back.” That ominous line caps Sleeping with the Enemy, the 1991 pot-boiler that turned Julia Roberts from rom-com darling into bona-fide scream-queen for a night.
More than three decades later, Sleeping with the Enemy on Hulu proves the movie hasn’t lost its power to raise gooseflesh — or to spark debate about Hollywood’s glossy treatment of domestic violence.
Below, we revisit the film’s plot, production history, box-office firestorm, and its avalanche of imitators, and we explain why Sleeping with the Enemy on Hulu deserves a fresh spin in 2025.
A Quick Plot Refresher
Roberts plays Laura Burney, the seemingly perfect wife of impeccably groomed investment banker Martin (Patrick Bergin).
Behind their Cape Cod façade lurks a chilling truth: Martin controls everything, from how Laura stacks towels to how often she must endure his brutal beatings.
After secretly learning to swim — Martin believes she can’t — Laura fakes a fatal boating accident, escapes to a small Iowa town, and for the first time tastes freedom. She even falls for Ben (Kevin Anderson), a gentle drama teacher with a moustache as earnest as his intentions.
But thrillers must thrill. Martin discovers Laura’s insurance scam, traces a trail of mismatched house keys and library cards, and descends upon her new life like a dark cloud in Gucci loafers. The final twenty minutes feel like Hitchcock filtered through a Lifetime-movie lens: corn-field courtship, smashed mirrors, a climactic bathroom brawl, and that unforgettable last line.
Why Sleeping with the Enemy on Hulu Remains Watchable
1. Julia Roberts at a Turning Point
Hot off Pretty Woman, Roberts could have coasted on rom-com charm. Instead, she chose a claustrophobic, bruised-up role that demanded terror rather than megawatt smiles. Her performance earned mixed reviews back then; today, viewed through a post-#MeToo lens, it reads as a prescient depiction of coercive control. Roberts sells Laura’s bone-deep fear with few words and haunted eyes, proving she was always more than America’s sweetheart.
2. A Blueprint for ’90s Domestic Thrillers
Watch Sleeping with the Enemy on Hulu and you’ll spot DNA later replicated in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Single White Female, Double Jeopardy, and Enough. Audiences in the late ’80s and early ’90s craved suburban horror stories where everyday spaces — neat kitchens, small-town libraries, towel closets — turned sinister. Director Joseph Ruben weaponizes normality, a trick Jordan Peele would refine decades later in Get Out.
3. Still-Topical Themes
Yes, the film sensationalizes abuse, but it also nails chilling micro-details of gaslighting: tracking grocery bags, demanding symmetrical toiletries, forbidding friends. Those nuances keep the thriller relevant as pop-culture conversations around intimate-partner violence evolve.
4. A Finale Built for Rewatches
From Martin’s slow tour of Laura’s “new” house — rearranging hand towels to signal his presence — to Laura’s final act of defiance, the climax rewards multiple viewings. Notice how the set design mirrors Laura’s mental state, how Roberts shifts from prey to predator, and how Patrick Bergin’s icy calm finally fractures.
The Film’s Shock-Wave Success
Sleeping with the Enemy opened on Valentine’s Day 1991, dethroning Home Alone and raking in $13 million its first weekend — colossal for an R-rated thriller then. It eventually grossed $175 million worldwide on a $19 million budget. Critics sniffed at its “airport-novel” plot, yet audiences devoured every beat. Hulu’s recent trending-tile surge shows that appetite hasn’t faded.
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The novel by Nancy Price was set in Cedar Falls, Iowa; the film relocates most action to fictional Cedar Falls, North Carolina, then actually shot in Abbeville, South Carolina.
- Composer Jerry Goldsmith’s score mixes lullaby woodwinds with heartbeat percussion — a sonic metaphor for safety constantly under threat.
- Roberts learned advanced swimming and de-habituated her trademark laugh to inhabit Laura’s solemnity.
- Pretty much every towel in Martin’s kingdom is perfectly aligned by crewmembers between takes, reportedly driving the set decorator mad.
Should You Stream or Skip?
If you crave prestige psychological depth, you may roll your eyes at some melodramatic flourishes. But as a time-capsule thriller — buoyed by Roberts’ raw vulnerability and Bergin’s icy menace — Sleeping with the Enemy on Hulu remains a pulse-pounding 99-minute ride. Queue it for:
- A nostalgic Friday-night double bill with Single White Female
- A study in how mainstream ’90s cinema framed domestic abuse
- A reminder of Roberts’ range before Erin Brockovich made it undeniable
Where to Watch & What to Pair It With
Sleeping with the Enemy is streaming now on Hulu (USA). Internationally, availability varies, so check local listings. Pair it with:
- Flatliners (1990) — Roberts’ other early foray into genre shock.
- The Invisible Man (2020) — an updated, tech-savvy spin on terrorized-spouse tropes.
- Leave the World Behind (2023) — Roberts’ recent Netflix hit proving she still owns thriller real estate.
Thirty-four years on, Laura Burney’s flight from perfectly stacked towels still thumps with dread. And thanks to Sleeping with the Enemy on Hulu, a new generation can peek behind those pristine white curtains — and maybe double-check their own towel racks afterward.
