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A Hidden Life

A Hidden Life

Better to suffer injustice than to commit it.

2019174 minPG-13Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Director
Terrence Malick
Starring
August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, Maria Simon, Karin Neuhäuser

Austrian farmer Franz Jägerstätter faces the threat of execution for refusing to fight for the Nazis during World War II.

Where to watch

Where can I watch A Hidden Life?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists A Hidden Life 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 A Hidden Life?

A Hidden Life earns 10 badges, led by Top 10% of films and Visual feast.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is A Hidden Life worth watching?

A Hidden Life's Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all films, from 114K ratings across 6 sources. 76% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of films

86th percentile among Biography91st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)86th

76 /100

92nd percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Biography92nd percentile among 2010s

Critics 80 · Audience 75

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

76% liked it

86th percentile of all films

76th percentile among Biography87th percentile among 2010s
76% rated it 7–1024% rated it 1–6

Critics 82% · Audience 72%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 26 noms overall

97th percentile

114K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Biography97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 19% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$50K
Domestic gross$1.7M
Worldwide gross$4.6M

56th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow, visually gorgeous meditation on a conscientious objector's moral stand during WWII.

Fans praised

  • transcendent visual poetry and spiritual magnitude
  • deeply-felt portrait of faith in crisis and moral conviction
  • superb lead performances by Diehl and Pachner

Detractors panned

  • bloated near-three-hour runtime with repetitious pacing
  • protagonist rendered passive with minimal dialogue and backstory
  • awkward English dialogue undermines authenticity

What stands out

Cinematography90

breathtaking Alpine landscapes and stunning shot composition

ActingDivisive82

lead performances praised as convincing and emotionally powerful, but some detractors find them underdeveloped

AtmosphereDivisive80

immersive juxtaposition of idyllic village life and grim prison dread

Emotional impactDivisive75

many fans report being deeply moved to tears; detractors unmoved by passive protagonist

CharactersDivisive70

protagonist's unwavering faith and wife's resilience highlighted; detractors cite lack of depth and passivity

TensionDivisive65

dread and anxiety build through protagonist's isolation; detractors find it dull

Plot and storyDivisive55

simple, true story of resistance praised for relevance but panned as thin and repetitive

PacingDivisive30

almost universally criticized as excessively slow and overlong at three hours

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 10 points higher than over-30s.

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

  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is A Hidden Life like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. 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 patience.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
DreadContemplativeHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneMalick plays the material completely straight: the film is intensely sincere, treating Franz's faith and suffering with solemn reverence and never undercutting its gravity.
The rideThe film sustains a quiet, looming tension throughout, punctuated by moments of warmth, with the emotional weight landing hardest in the final act.
StructureThe story follows a mostly chronological arc from Franz's arrest to execution, but Malick's signature style intercuts voice-over memories and moments of rural life out of strict order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you marvelling at Franz's quiet heroism while mourning his devastating loss, and it lingers as a question about the cost of conviction.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic 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).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · 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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeFranz Jägerstätter is a man destroyed by forces beyond his control—the Nazi regime—because he refuses to compromise his conscience. His moral stand, not a flaw, leads to his execution.

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 filmsSelfSacrificeMorality
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% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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

Sacrifice · 4% of filmsFaith · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the cost of moral conviction, the role of religious faith in ethical decisions, and the search for a higher justice beyond human institutions.
StanceDespite the tragic ending, the film celebrates Franz's moral courage and faith, treating his sacrifice as a quiet, unassuming victory of conscience.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · James Newton Howard
Settingrural Austria during the Nazi occupation, 1943-1945
MusicJames Newton Howard's score uses swelling strings and sparse piano to underline the emotional gravity without overwhelming the natural soundscape.

Content guide

Is A Hidden Life okay for kids?

PG-13

A Hidden Life is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic material including violent images” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (51/100), sexual content at minimal (9/100), language at minimal (7/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (62/100). Overall it is heavier than 51% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 18 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanG
  • Austria12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceΚ-12
  • Norway12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO12
  • Russia16+
  • Spain7
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 32% of all filmsHeavier than 51% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 54%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 10%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 2%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 56%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 79%

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

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

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 A Hidden Life have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in A Hidden Life?

Cast

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

August Diehl
as Franz Jägerstätter
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Valerie Pachner
as Fani Jägerstätter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Maria Simon
as Resie Schwaninger
Karin Neuhäuser
as Rosalia Jägerstätter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tobias Moretti
as Fr. Fürthauer
Ulrich Matthes
as Lorenz Schwaninger
Matthias Schoenaerts
as Captain Herder
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.
Michael Nyqvist
as Bishop Fliesser
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.
Franz Rogowski
as Waldland
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Karl Markovics
as Mayor Kraus

Crew

More like this

What are movies like A Hidden Life?

Movies like A Hidden Life include The Zookeeper's Wife (2017), Valkyrie (2008) and Divided We Fall (2000). Of the 12 closest matches, several are biopics, and half are military films.

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

10 of these 12 share its world: World War II. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with A Hidden Life?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: caretaker and dependent. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.