Gerald's Game

Trapped at a lakeside estate with her husband, Jessie agrees to a night of erotic games that spirals into a nightmare when Gerald handcuffs her to the bed and dies under mysterious circumstances. Left alone to face the consequences, she starts to confront a flood of unsettling memories, inner demons, and secrets she has kept hidden. As the hours pass, the claustrophobic room becomes a stage for distorted visions and conversations with herself, her late father's voice, and a fierce will to survive. The film keeps the stakes intimate and psychological, avoiding gore while pressing on the limits of control and fear. She recalls their shared fantasies and the fractures behind them, questioning whether love can survive a moment when control slips entirely.

Directed by Mike Flanagan, Gerald's Game adapts Stephen King's novella with Jeff Howard's screenplay, arriving on Netflix in 2017. Carla Gugino stars as Jessie, delivering a restrained, character driven horror. It highlights tension and character over spectacle.

Box office figures aren't publicized because the film premiered on Netflix and had a limited theatrical release. As a streaming release it generated little conventional box office anywhere. Official figures are not reported to avoid inflating the film's success.

The film stands out among Netflix horror for its single location tension and a standout performance by Carla Gugino. Moonlight Man imagery and Jessie’s visions sparked discussions about memory, agency, and recovery, making it a reference point in conversations about modern psychological thrillers. Its visuals stay restrained yet effective, amplifying tension.

Critics praised the tense atmosphere, strong lead performance, and Flanagan's deft balancing of psychological dread with emotional depth. Themes include power dynamics in intimate relationships, trauma resilience, and the way memory shapes perception under pressure. Critics also singled out Gugino's fearless performance and Flanagan's skill at translating inner turmoil into palpable dread. The film lingers in memory after viewing.