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Churchill

Churchill

The untold story of D-Day.

2017105 minPGMidcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
Director
Jonathan Teplitzky
Starring
Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery, Julian Wadham

A ticking-clock thriller following Winston Churchill in the 24 hours before D-Day.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Churchill?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Churchill streaming on Cohen Media Channel via Prime Video, Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Churchill?

Churchill earns 7 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Churchill worth watching?

Churchill's Midcredits score is the 51st percentile of all films, from 23K ratings across 6 sources. 52% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

51st percentile

Better received than 51% of films

26th percentile among Biography51st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)46th
Approval (how many liked it)55th

60 /100

46th percentile of all films

22nd percentile among Biography46th percentile among 2010s

Critics 44 · Audience 62

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

52% liked it

55th percentile of all films

30th percentile among Biography55th percentile among 2010s
52% rated it 7–1048% rated it 1–6

Critics 50% · Audience 54%

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

Awards

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

88th percentile

23K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Biography89th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$6.4M
Opening weekend$409K
Domestic gross$1.3M
Worldwide gross$6.7M

Returned 1.1× its budget — 62nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a talky, theatrical chamber piece centered on Churchill's psychological doubts in the four days before D-Day, with Brian Cox giving a committed performance.

Fans praised

  • Brian Cox's powerful, nuanced embodiment of Churchill's voice and haunted demeanor
  • Miranda Richardson's strong, grounded portrayal of Clementine Churchill
  • Intimate chamber-drama focus on psychological turmoil of leadership

Detractors panned

  • Grossly inaccurate, fictionalized depiction of Churchill as senile, bumbling, and opposed to D-Day
  • Boring, plodding pace with static talk and no battle scenes
  • Low-budget, cheap-looking production with repetitive car-entrance shots

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Brian Cox's powerful, stage-trained performance widely praised; some detractors find it hammy or inconsistent in accent

Cinematography65

Beautifully photographed with muted period palette; some call it handsome but uninspired

AtmosphereDivisive60

Subdued, oppressive wartime tone with meticulous period production design

Dialogue40

Functional but often contrived and melodramatic; Churchill's speeches are high point

CharactersDivisive30

Churchill reduced to haunted, senile buffoon; others thinly sketched or miscast

Plot and storyDivisive25

Historically fabricated premise of Churchill desperately trying to cancel D-Day

OriginalityDivisive25

Derivative, conventional biopic structure with revisionist takes

Pacing20

Leaden, static pacing with repetitive vehicle shots and no momentum

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 31 points higher than men.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 15 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 31 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Churchill like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. 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 uplifting.

Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats Churchill's internal crisis with gravity and empathy, balancing his public determination with private vulnerability.
The rideThe atmosphere is thick with anxiety, building steadily toward the invasion's launch.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically over the 96 hours before D-Day, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the image of Churchill finding his voice again, but the weight of the impending invasion and his past mistakes lingers.
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

Why this archetypeThe film follows Churchill in the days before D-Day as he wrestles with his traumatic memory of Gallipoli, ultimately transforming his outlook through the support of his wife and the realization of his duty.

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 filmsSelfDutyMorality
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% (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% · Duty 2% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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

Duty · 2% of filmsGrief · 6% of filmsPurpose · 9% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Churchill's sense of duty to prevent disaster versus his fear of repeating past bloodshed.
StanceIt questions the moral burden of commanding a massive invasion, weighing duty against trauma.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Lorne Balfe
SettingBritain in the four days before the D-Day invasion of Normandy, 1944
MusicUses a somber orchestral score to underscore Churchill's internal turmoil.

Content guide

Is Churchill okay for kids?

PG

Churchill is rated PG: “Rated PG for thematic elements, brief war images, historical smoking throughout, and some language” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at moderate (43/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (48/100) and frightening material at minimal (8/100). Its violence, sexual content, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanG
  • Brazil14
  • GreeceK
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain7
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 84%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (30 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 Churchill have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Churchill?

Cast

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

Brian Cox
as Winston Churchill
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.
Miranda Richardson
as Clemmie Churchill
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.
John Slattery
as Dwight Eisenhower
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.
Julian Wadham
as General Montgomery
Richard Durden
as Jan Smuts
Ella Purnell
as Helen Garrett
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
James Purefoy
as King George VI
Danny Webb
as Field Marshal Alan Brooke
Jonathan Aris
as Leigh Mallory
George Anton
as Admiral Ramsay

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Churchill?

Movies like Churchill include Alone in Berlin (2016), Darkest Hour (2017) and Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (2005). Of the 12 closest matches, half are films set during World War II, and half are films about duty.

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

3 of these 12 share its world: London. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

560 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: politician. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.