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Filth

Filth

It's a filthy job getting to the top, but someone's got to do it.

201397 minRMidcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Director
Jon S. Baird
Starring
James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan, Imogen Poots

A bigoted junkie cop suffering from borderline personality disorder and drug addiction manipulates and hallucinates his way in a bid to secure promotion.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Filth?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Filth streaming on Magnolia Selects via Prime Video, Monsters and Nightmares via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), The Roku Channel (free), Tubi (free) and Warriors & Gangsters via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Filth?

Filth earns 9 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Filth worth watching?

Filth's Midcredits score is the 80th percentile of all films, from 227K ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

80th percentile

Better received than 80% of films

89th percentile among Action80th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)76th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

69 /100

76th percentile of all films

88th percentile among Action75th percentile among 2010s

Critics 56 · Audience 70

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

87th percentile among Action82nd percentile among 2010s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 66% · Audience 67%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 9 wins / 15 noms overall

97th percentile

227K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Action96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 26% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$5M
Opening weekend$7.5K
Domestic gross$34K
Worldwide gross$8.5M

Returned 1.7× its budget — 57th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

An extremely vulgar, drug-and-sex-fueled black comedy about a corrupt, mentally unraveling Scottish cop.

Fans praised

  • McAvoy's transformative, career-best performance as a complex, mentally deteriorating man
  • Uncompromising dark humor blended with genuine tragic emotional depth
  • Faithful adaptation capturing Irvine Welsh's gritty, surreal tone

Detractors panned

  • Gratuitous shock tactics with no narrative purpose
  • Incoherent plot and unsympathetic protagonist
  • Derivative, failing to match Trainspotting's wit and originality

What stands out

Acting95

McAvoy's revelatory, physically and emotionally committed performance

DialogueDivisive70

Witty, profane, fast-paced Scottish vernacular

Emotional impactDivisive70

Surprisingly moving descent into grief and mental illness

CharactersDivisive65

Despicable yet layered antihero; supporting roles as effective caricatures

PacingDivisive65

Manic, energetic first half; sags in second with tonal shifts

HumorDivisive55

Black comedy often undercut by excessive shock value

OriginalityDivisive55

Stylistically imitative of Trainspotting and Bad Lieutenant

Plot and storyDivisive40

Loose, meandering structure; murder case as weak mcguffin

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 10 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 14 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 18 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Filth like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark comedy: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want to laugh at things you probably shouldn't.

It is intense, swings between moods and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

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

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark comedy.

Moods
TenseManicAbsurdDread
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
The answer rests on this: Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsBleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its grotesque comedy and tragic downfall with a darkly ironic edge, often breaking the fourth wall.
The rideThe film sustains a tense, darkly comic energy that fractures into dread and absurdity as Robertson's sanity collapses, with the heaviest emotional load in the hallucinatory final act.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Bruce's perspective, with hallucinations and flashbacks integrated into the narrative.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's tragic descent and darkly comic surface leave a haunting, devastating aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

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).Tragedy
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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% (this title) · 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%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

9% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeBruce Robertson, a corrupt and mentally unstable detective, schemes to secure a promotion while investigating a murder, but his psychological unraveling and guilt lead to his downfall.

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 filmsSelfMentalillness
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% · 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% (this title) · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% (this title) · 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

Mental illness · 1% of filmsGuilt · 3% of filmsTrauma · 7% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the protagonist's descent into madness driven by untreated mental illness and buried guilt.
StanceThe film satirizes institutional corruption and toxic masculinity through Robertson's predatory, self-serving behavior, but also mourns his tragic unraveling.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalStylized realism
ElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingEdinburgh's police force and its seedy underbelly
MusicA pulsing, uneasy electronic score underscores the protagonist's erratic mental state.

Content guide

Is Filth okay for kids?

R

Filth is rated R: “Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use, language and some violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at severe (82/100), language at severe (92/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (94/100) and frightening material at intense (72/100). Overall it is heavier than 97% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 21 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada18A
  • Germany16
  • Ireland18
  • New ZealandR18
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia15
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceΚ-15
  • Hungary18
  • LTN-18
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands18
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeR21
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Severe · all five categories
Heavier than 98% of all filmsHeavier than 97% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Sex & Nudity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 98%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 94%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 99%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 68%

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

Heavy almost across the board: drug and alcohol content, language, sexual content, frightening material, and violence.

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 Filth have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Filth?

Cast

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

James McAvoy
as Bruce
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.
Jamie Bell
as Lennox
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.
Eddie Marsan
as Bladesey
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Imogen Poots
as Drummond
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Brian McCardie
as Gillman
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Emun Elliott
as Inglis
Gary Lewis
as Gus
John Sessions
as Toal
Shauna Macdonald
as Carole
Jim Broadbent
as Dr. Rossi
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Filth?

Movies like Filth include Vampire's Kiss (1988), Trainspotting (1996) and Stone (2010). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Irvine Welsh, and several are films set in Edinburgh.

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

9 of these 12 share its praise for acting. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

3.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.