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Carousel

Carousel

2026105 minMidcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Director
Rachel Lambert
Starring
Chris Pine, Jenny Slate, Abby Ryder Fortson, Sam Waterston

A divorced doctor’s carefully constructed life in Cleveland is upended when his daughter’s debate aspirations and the unexpected return of a past love force him to confront his own choices and embrace a second chance.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Carousel?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Carousel on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Carousel?

Carousel earns 1 badge: Award Nominee.

Reception

Is Carousel worth watching?

Carousel's Midcredits score is the 16th percentile of all films, from 1.8K ratings across 3 sources. 21% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

16th percentile

Better received than 16% of films

16th percentile among Comedy17th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)10th

54 /100

26th percentile of all films

28th percentile among Comedy29th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

21% liked it

10th percentile of all films

8th percentile among Comedy11th percentile among 2020s
21% rated it 7–1079% rated it 1–6

Critics 66%

The Rotten Tomatoes critic score.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

72nd percentile

1.8K ratings across platforms

68th percentile among Comedy71st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 35% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Chris Pine and Jenny Slate give strong performances that elevate the material.

Fans praised

  • career-best Chris Pine performance in romantic drama
  • Jenny Slate continues magnificent performance streak
  • quiet, magical character moments between leads

Detractors panned

  • underbaked narrative with thin character development
  • zero chemistry between Pine and Slate as romantic partners
  • uneven pacing, boring presentation, clunky sound design

What stands out

Acting75

Pine and Slate praised individually, but detractors cite zero chemistry between them

Cinematography50

okay but relies on cheap presentation and unoriginal camera work

Plot and storyDivisive45

underbaked narrative juggling romance, grief, mental health without commitment

Emotional impactDivisive40

failed emotional engagement, unearned romance by third act

DialogueDivisive40

clunky, difficult to believe

CharactersDivisive35

thin, underdeveloped with unclear arcs, especially father-daughter

PacingDivisive35

uneven, boring, meandering with flat moments

Sound and music30

clunky, off-putting, cheesy score, overwhelming screechy tonal changes

Watch experience

What is Carousel like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its romantic drama straight, with sincere but uneven execution; some attempted humor falls flat, reinforcing a generally earnest tone.
The rideA mix of romantic longing and melancholy, with tender moments between the leads, though uneven pacing and tonal shifts dilute the impact.
StructureA conventional romantic drama structure, with the return of the ex sparking the central conflict.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a gentle, reflective feeling about past loves and the courage to try again, though its execution flaws may undercut the emotional resonance for some viewers.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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).Rebirth
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%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2% (this title)
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Second chance: A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).

13% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeA settled single father's high school ex returns, prompting him to question whether love deserves a second chance.

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 filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · 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%: 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%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsFamily bonds
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 explores whether old love can be rekindled against the backdrop of parental responsibility and emotional vulnerability.
StanceThe film examines whether love can be rekindled after years apart, questioning the idea of a second chance without fully committing to an answer.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Dabney Morris
SettingA doctor's life in Nashville disrupted by the return of a high school love.
MusicThe score received mixed reviews for being cheesy and overwhelming, failing to support the dramatic and romantic arcs effectively.

Cast and crew

Who is in Carousel?

Cast

Chris Pine
as Noah
Jenny Slate
as Rebecca
Abby Ryder Fortson
as Maya
Sam Waterston
as Sam
Katey Sagal
as Donna
Heléne Yorke
as Abby
Jessica Harper
as Joan
Jeffrey DeMunn
as Michael
Dagmara Dominczyk
as Sarah
Tien Tran
as Sophia

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Carousel?

Movies like Carousel include Radhe Shyam (2022), Bobby Deerfield (1977) and Beyond Borders (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, half are second-chance stories, and all are films about romantic love.

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

5 of these 12 share its world: medicine. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

1.4K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: doctor. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.