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Delirium

Delirium

It's all in your head

201896 minRMidcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Director
Dennis Iliadis
Starring
Topher Grace, Patricia Clarkson, Cody Sullivan, Callan Mulvey

A man recently released from a mental institute inherits a mansion after his parents die. After a series of disturbing events, he comes to believe it is haunted.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Delirium?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Delirium to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Delirium?

Delirium earns 1 badge: Broadly Agreed.

Reception

Is Delirium worth watching?

Delirium's Midcredits score is the 29th percentile of all films, from 29K ratings across 4 sources. 33% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

29th percentile

Better received than 29% of films

72nd percentile among Horror29th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)32nd
Approval (how many liked it)27th

56 /100

32nd percentile of all films

77th percentile among Horror34th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

33% liked it

27th percentile of all films

68th percentile among Horror27th percentile among 2010s
33% rated it 7–1067% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

92nd percentile

29K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Horror92nd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 14% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps recognize the film as an ambitious psychological thriller centered on mental illness and reality confusion, with stronger production values than expected from a low-budget effort.

Fans praised

  • Keeps you guessing and intrigued throughout
  • Good acting, especially Topher Grace in the lead
  • Thought-provoking, ambiguous psychological thriller

Detractors panned

  • Plot twists feel hackneyed and unoriginal
  • Unbelievable character decisions and logic holes
  • Undercooked scares that fail to truly frighten

What stands out

ActingDivisive68

Topher Grace solid in lead; supporting cast inconsistent

Atmosphere68

Creepy mansion and paranoia build tension

TensionDivisive55

Some good scares but not consistently frightening

EndingDivisive55

Ambiguous ending divides; some find it unsatisfying

CharactersDivisive50

Lead character development feels rushed; secondary characters underused

PacingDivisive50

Slow start but picks up toward finale

Plot and storyDivisive45

Twists seen before; logic gaps frustrate

OriginalityDivisive45

Familiar premise; execution feels derivative

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men even
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Delirium like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, treating Tom's hallucinations and the mansion's dangers with grim seriousness, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe film sustains a building sense of dread and tension from Tom's arrival to the climax, with a melancholic undertone from his trauma.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear, beginning-middle-end structure, following Tom's confinement and his gradual discovery of the house's hidden horrors.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers with lingering unease from its dark family secrets and the blurred line between reality and hallucination, while raising unanswered questions about justice and trauma.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe protagonist, released from a mental institution, must uncover the truth behind his family's dark secrets while being confined to a mansion under parole monitoring, which serves as an oppressive system he must overcome.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfTraumaSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsIsolation · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a man grappling with psychological trauma and the fear that his own mind may be unreliable, isolated in a vast, unsettling mansion.
StanceThe film questions whether the haunting is real or a product of Tom's trauma, leaving the nature of reality ambiguous.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Nathan Whitehead
SettingA decaying mansion inherited by a man fresh from a mental institute
MusicThe score likely uses low drones and dissonant strings to heighten the psychological tension.

Content guide

Is Delirium okay for kids?

R

Delirium is rated R: “Rated R for some violence and disturbing images” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (56/100), sexual content at mild (23/100), language at moderate (35/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at moderate (59/100). Overall it is heavier than 11% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • South Korea15
  • Poland18
  • RO18
  • Russia18+
  • SK15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 37% of all filmsHeavier than 11% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 31%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 9%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 35%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 43% of R-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Delirium have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Delirium?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Topher Grace
as Tom
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Patricia Clarkson
as Brody
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Cody Sullivan
as Young Alex
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Callan Mulvey
as Alex
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robin Thomas
as Father
Braden Fitzgerald
as Young Tom
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Daisy McCrackin
as Mother
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Genesis Rodriguez
as Lynn
Harry Groener
as Psychiatrist
Jorge-Luis Pallo
as Police Officer
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Delirium?

Movies like Delirium include Mercy (2014), Eloise (2016) and The Grudge (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, most are hunter-and-hunted stories, and several are haunted-house films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its feel: brooding. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Delirium?

947 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: haunted house. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.