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Choke

Choke

If this movie doesn’t touch you, go ahead and touch yourself.

200892 minRMidcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Director
Clark Gregg
Starring
Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald, Brad William Henke

A sex-addicted con-man pays for his mother's hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Choke?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Choke 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 Choke?

Choke earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Choke worth watching?

Choke's Midcredits score is the 53rd percentile of all films, from 54K ratings across 6 sources. 54% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

53rd percentile

Better received than 53% of films

60th percentile among Comedy50th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)46th
Approval (how many liked it)58th

60 /100

46th percentile of all films

53rd percentile among Comedy46th percentile among 2000s

Critics 47 · Audience 62

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

54% liked it

58th percentile of all films

65th percentile among Comedy55th percentile among 2000s
54% rated it 7–1046% rated it 1–6

Critics 56% · Audience 52%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 6 noms overall

90th percentile

54K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 1% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$3M
Opening weekend$1.3M
Domestic gross$2.9M
Worldwide gross$4M

Returned 1.3× its budget — 61st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A toned-down, uneven adaptation of Palahniuk's novel that retains its dark comic premise but loses much of the source material's bite and depth.

Fans praised

  • Sam Rockwell's charismatic anti-hero performance
  • dark humor balancing comedy with psychological depth
  • Brad William Henke and Anjelica Huston's supporting turns

Detractors panned

  • flat, uninspired cinematography and visual style
  • missing Palahniuk's distinctive narrative voice and edge
  • weak adaptation that omits key themes and subplots

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Rockwell praised as charismatic; detractors find cast wasted

HumorDivisive65

dark comedy works in spots but inconsistent; many jokes fall flat

DialogueDivisive65

witty lines lifted from novel but narration largely missing

CharactersDivisive60

Victor's complexity noted but underdeveloped; supporting roles thin

OriginalityDivisive60

unique premise but derivative of Fight Club's style

Emotional impactDivisive55

some poignant mother-son moments undercut by tonal inconsistency

PacingDivisive48

rushed 90-minute runtime leaves material underdeveloped

Plot and storyDivisive45

disjointed, feels like a series of gags rather than a cohesive story

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

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

  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Choke like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something serious and affecting.

It is funny and leaves you bittersweet.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseAbsurdMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its dark subject matter with a wry, comedic detachment, never fully committing to earnestness while still allowing moments of tenderness.
The rideThe film balances dark comedy with emotional weight, with tensions likely peaking as the con unravels.
StructureTold chronologically with brief flashbacks in a conventional three-act structure, supported by direct address narration.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe ending offers a hopeful reunion tinged with the loss of his mother, leaving a mix of warmth and melancholy.
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).RebirthHealing
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% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeVictor's journey from self-destructive sex addiction to a tentative emotional connection, driven by the search for his true origins and the healing of childhood trauma.

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% (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% (this title)
  • 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% · 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 filmsDeception · 9% 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 how past trauma drives compulsive behavior and a web of lies to care for family.
StanceThe film questions how trauma shapes compulsive behavior and moral compromise without celebrating or condemning.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Nathan Larson
Settinganonymous American city; hospital, con-man's haunts
MusicLikely underscores the ironic and tender moments without overwhelming the dialogue.

Content guide

Is Choke okay for kids?

R

Choke is rated R: “Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (22/100), sexual content at intense (65/100), language at intense (65/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (26/100) and frightening material at mild (17/100). Its drug and alcohol content has too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 16% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • JapanR15+
  • Brazil18
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/16
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 44% of all filmsHeavier than 16% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 8%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 82%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 47%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 8%

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

The reason to think twice is sexual content and language. Everything else sits at or below what R-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 Choke have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Choke?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; 3 award-winning performances in the cast.

Sam Rockwell
as Victor Mancini
Sundance win: Sundance award — DramaticTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anjelica Huston
as Ida J. Mancini
Sundance win: Sundance award — DramaticTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kelly Macdonald
as Paige Marshall
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Brad William Henke
as Denny
Sundance win: Sundance award — Dramatic
Clark Gregg
as Lord High Charlie
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Bijou Phillips
as Ursula
Gillian Jacobs
as Cherry Daiquiri
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
newcomer then · star now
Jonah Bobo
as Young Victor
Paz de la Huerta
as Nico
Viola Harris
as Eva Muller
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 Choke?

The closest match to Choke is Wetlands (2013); both are whirlwind romances.

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

Explore by

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

997 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: con artist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.