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Cool Blue

Cool Blue

Dustin thought his life was a mess... now he's sure.

Video198993 minRMidcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
Directors
Richard Shepard, Mark Mullin
Starring
Woody Harrelson, Hank Azaria, Ely Pouget, Christopher McDonald

Dustin, an aspiring painter meets this woman named Christiane. Dustin is on a search for love, sex, and inspiration. When Christiane dumps him and disapears as quickly as she dropped in, Dustin embarks on an obsessive search in Southern California to search for her.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Cool Blue?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Cool Blue streaming on MGM+ 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 Cool Blue?

Cool Blue earns 1 badge: Universally Panned.

Reception

Is Cool Blue worth watching?

Cool Blue's Midcredits score is the 8th percentile of all films, from 846 ratings across 4 sources. 16% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

8th percentile

Better received than 8% of films

7th percentile among Comedy8th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)16th
Approval (how many liked it)4th

49 /100

16th percentile of all films

15th percentile among Comedy14th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

16% liked it

4th percentile of all films

3rd percentile among Comedy4th percentile among 1980s
16% rated it 7–1084% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

38th percentile

846 ratings across platforms

30th percentile among Comedy34th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A quirky, offbeat late-80s direct-to-video film with a wandering plot and eclectic music.

Fans praised

  • offbeat charm and unpredictable tone
  • Sean Penn's uncredited cameo performance
  • supporting cast energy (Hank Azaria, Ely Pouget)

Detractors panned

  • inappropriate music that never matches the scene
  • lame script and silly plot
  • self-indulgent student-film feel

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

Woody Harrelson adequate; Sean Penn's cameo a highlight; supporting cast hammy

OriginalityDivisive50

offbeat but familiar student-film tropes

CharactersDivisive45

quirky but thinly drawn; leads ordinary

HumorDivisive45

better when funny; sophomoric satire

Dialogue40

some funny moments but often lame

Plot and storyDivisive35

rambling, silly, predictable search; cornball

Pacing35

plodding after cameo; slow in stretches

Sound and musicDivisive30

eclectic mix, often mismatched to scenes

Watch experience

What is Cool Blue 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 light and affecting.

It takes its time, has a few laughs 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

Moods
TenseMelancholicRomantic
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Whimsical · 2% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.
ToneThe film maintains a light-hearted, offbeat stance toward its protagonist's obsessive quest, undercutting dramatic moments with quirky characters and comedy.
The rideThe mood varies from romantic longing to tense obsession, with a consistently subdued intensity.
StructureThe story follows a linear search across LA with loosely connected encounters, typical of a quest narrative.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a bittersweet reflection on idealized love and the disappointment of reality, with a wistful tone about lost possibilities.
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).QuestRescue
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · 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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

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

Why this archetypeA struggling artist becomes obsessed with a woman he meets for one night and embarks on a search for her across Los Angeles, using her as his artistic muse.

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 filmsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • 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% (this title) · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 3% of filmsArt · 4% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
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 narrative centers on Dustin's obsessive pursuit of Christiane, whom he idealizes as a muse, while exploring his identity as a struggling artist.
StanceThe film questions Dustin's obsessive idealization of Christiane without condemning or celebrating it.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
JazzFolkSupportive music · original score · Joe Manolakakis
Settinglate-1980s Los Angeles art world and low-rent apartments
MusicThe score features an eclectic mix of jazz and Americana, sometimes mismatched with scenes.

Content guide

Is Cool Blue okay for kids?

R

Cool Blue is rated R. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (8 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 Cool Blue have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Cool Blue?

Cast

Woody Harrelson
as Dustin
Hank Azaria
as Buzz
Ely Pouget
as Christiane
Christopher McDonald
as Peter Sin
Phillip Brock
as Bruce
Judie Aronson
as Cathy
Gloria LeRoy
as Ida
Karen Haber
as Sascha
Jonathan Chapin
as Les
Cindy Guyer
as Girl in Gallery

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Cool Blue?

The closest match to Cool Blue is The Cable Guy (1996); both are films about obsession.

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

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Cool Blue?

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: road movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.