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Coda

Coda

Success often conceals a wound

201996 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Director
Claude Lalonde
Starring
Patrick Stewart, Katie Holmes, Giancarlo Esposito, Abdul Ayoola

A famous pianist at the twilight of his career meets a free-spirited music critic who soon becomes his rock as his mental state deteriorates.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Coda?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Coda streaming on Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Coda?

Coda earns 1 badge: Bittersweet.

Reception

Is Coda worth watching?

Coda's Midcredits score is the 45th percentile of all films, from 4.8K ratings across 4 sources. 46% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

45th percentile

Better received than 45% of films

42nd percentile among Drama45th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)43rd
Approval (how many liked it)46th

60 /100

43rd percentile of all films

41st percentile among Drama44th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

46% liked it

46th percentile of all films

44th percentile among Drama46th percentile among 2010s
46% rated it 7–1054% rated it 1–6

Critics 62% · Audience 53%

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

Reach

How many have seen it

82nd percentile

4.8K ratings across platforms

85th percentile among Drama84th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

Box office

BudgetCA$2.8M

In Canadian dollar, not converted to dollars.

Worldwide gross$2.6M

72nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow, meditative art film centered on an aging pianist grappling with loss and purpose, with lovely scenery and classical music.

Fans praised

  • Patrick Stewart's nuanced, stillness and grumpiness
  • Sensitive piano soundtrack integrated with story
  • Beautiful Swiss and New York cinematography

Detractors panned

  • Excrutiatingly slow pacing with empty stretches
  • Implausible May-December romance lacking chemistry
  • Script as pretentious, tell-don't-show philosophizing

What stands out

Cinematography75

Stunning Swiss alpine and New York vistas

Acting72

Stewart compelling as fragile maestro; Holmes adequate but occasionally outmatched

Sound and musicDivisive70

Beautiful classical piano selections, but repetitive concert scenes

Emotional impactDivisive50

Genuine melancholy for some; cold and detached for others

CharactersDivisive42

Henry well-drawn but Helen underwritten, a narrative device

Plot and storyDivisive35

Thin, predictable story with little dramatic weight

Dialogue35

Overly philosophical, tell-don't-show monologues

PacingDivisive25

Deliberate slowness praised by fans, excoriated as boring by detractors

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Coda like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Quiet and reflective: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in a patient, quiet mood.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Quiet and reflective.

Moods
HopefulMelancholicRomantic
Heaviest: middle
Warm humor
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.
ToneThe film treats its characters' emotional lives with gentle, sincere gravity, never winking at the age-gap romance or the classical music milieu.
The rideStage fright lends a melancholic undertone early on, shifting toward hope and romance as the relationship develops.
StructureThe story unfolds in chronological order, following the pianist's journey from crisis to renewed connection.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a gentle, melancholic residue, mixing the warmth of a new connection with the sadness of a life's final chapter.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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 archetypeA celebrated pianist paralyzed by stage fright reconnects with his art through the intervention of a music critic, tracing a classic 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 filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · 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%: 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% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsPurpose · 9% of filmsHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how a deepening connection with a free-spirited critic rekindles the pianist's purpose and hope in his art.
StanceThe film treats the rediscovery of love and purpose as worth celebrating, with both the pianist and the critic at the center.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score
SettingThe concert halls and private spaces of a famous pianist's late-career world.

Content guide

Is Coda okay for kids?

Not Rated

Coda is not rated. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100) and drug and alcohol content at mild (28/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UK12
  • Germany6
  • Russia16+
Overall
Mild · 3 of 5 categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (17 votes across 3 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 Coda have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Coda?

Cast

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

Patrick Stewart
as Henry Cole
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.
Katie Holmes
as Helen Morrison
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.
Giancarlo Esposito
as Paul
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.
Abdul Ayoola
as Guard
Letitia Brookes
as Maya
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Drew Davis
as Daniel
Nicholas Haze
as Attendant
Beat Marti
as Beethoven
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Catherine St-Laurent
as Jessie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Violette Chauveau
as Francine
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

Directed by

Claude Lalonde

Written by

Louis Godbout

Cinematography

Guy Dufaux

Edited by

Claude Palardy

Produced by

Nicola HeymanNicolas Comeau

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