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55 Steps

55 Steps

Justice is won step by step.

2017115 minPG-13Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Director
Bille August
Starring
Helena Bonham Carter, Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Tambor, Johan Heldenbergh

The inspiring true story of Eleanor Riese, a mental illness patient herself, who brings a class action suit to give competent mental patients the right to have a say in their medication while they're in a hospital, and Colette Hughes, the lawyer appointed to her case.

Where to watch

Where can I watch 55 Steps?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists 55 Steps to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about 55 Steps?

55 Steps earns 6 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is 55 Steps worth watching?

55 Steps' Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 7.2K ratings across 6 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

66th percentile among Biography79th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)75th
Approval (how many liked it)80th

68 /100

75th percentile of all films

64th percentile among Biography74th percentile among 2010s

Critics 42 · Audience 70

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

65th percentile among Biography81st percentile among 2010s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 50% · Audience 85%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 4 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

84th percentile

7.2K ratings across platforms

66th percentile among Biography85th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget€7.5M

In euro, not converted to dollars.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film centers on a mentally ill patient's legal fight for medical consent, with strong performances from the leads but a conventional, at-times flat execution.

Fans praised

  • Helena Bonham Carter's award-worthy, nuanced performance as Eleanor
  • Important, inspiring true story about patients' rights and mental health
  • Powerful emotional impact and meaningful message about dignity and compassion

Detractors panned

  • Flat, TV-movie feel that fails to generate anger or engagement
  • Boring and uninvolving, with characters hard to care about
  • Odd-couple friendship focus feels dull and underdeveloped

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

HBC's transformative, layered performance praised; Swank solid but less showy

Emotional impactDivisive70

Moves fans with touching moments and message, but detractors feel flat

DialogueDivisive60

Occasionally witty and heartfelt, but sometimes on-the-nose

Plot and storyDivisive55

Important true story but too rushed, overstuffed, and TV-movie-like

CharactersDivisive50

Lead is compelling but mostly unlikeable; side characters underdeveloped

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 18 points higher than men.

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

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is 55 Steps like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It leaves you fired up.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
HopefulTenseTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its serious subject with earnest warmth, balancing drama with gentle humor through Helena Bonham Carter's performance, never mocking or undercutting its material.
The rideThe legal battle creates tension, but the film builds toward an uplifting resolution; reviews describe it as ultimately inspiring and cathartic.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically, following the legal case and the developing friendship between lawyer and client.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you inspired by the courage and friendship that triumphed over an unjust system, with a lasting feeling of hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

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% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% (this title) · 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. · Institutional injustice: A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeThe plot centers on a lawyer fighting a class-action lawsuit against a psychiatric institution that forces medication on patients, making it a clear case of overcoming an oppressive system, while the client's influence transforms the lawyer's personal life, adding a rebirth arc.

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 filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · 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%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsPurpose · 9% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a legal fight for patients' right to informed consent, exploring systemic justice, while Eleanor's friendship gives Colette's life new meaning.
StanceThe film affirms the fight for patients' rights and presents the legal victory as a cause for celebration, focusing equally on lawyer and client.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Annette Focks
SettingPsychiatric hospital and legal offices in San Francisco
MusicThe score likely underscores the emotional legal drama with understated orchestral cues.

Content guide

Is 55 Steps okay for kids?

PG-13

55 Steps is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements/disturbing images” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (11/100), sexual content at mild (25/100), language at minimal (11/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK12
  • CanadaPG
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Austria12
  • Belgium12
  • RO18
  • Spain12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (20 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 55 Steps have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in 55 Steps?

Cast

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

Helena Bonham Carter
as Eleanor Riese
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.
Hilary Swank
as Colette Hughes
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.
Jeffrey Tambor
as Mort Cohen
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.
Johan Heldenbergh
as Robert
Michael Culkin
as Judge Farelly
Tim Plester
as Robbi
Jonathan Kerrigan
as Dr. Bardy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Anneika Rose
as Margie
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Richard Riddell
as Male Nurse 1
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
AnnaCorey
as Tiff - Jogger

Crew

More like this

What are movies like 55 Steps?

Movies like 55 Steps include On the Basis of Sex (2018), Marshall (2017) and The Rainmaker (1997). Of the 12 closest matches, all are courtroom dramas, and most are stories about lawyers.

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

All 12 share its world: legal. Those cards say what else they share.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with 55 Steps?

778 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: courtroom drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.