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Frequencies

Frequencies

It changes everything.

2013109 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Director
Darren Paul Fisher
Starring
Daniel Fraser, Eleanor Wyld, Owen Pugh, David Broughton-Davies

The story of the forbidden relationship between a 'low born' boy and a 'high born' girl in an alternate reality where every person's relationships and life worth are determined by their innate 'frequencies'.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Frequencies?

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

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Highlights

What stands out about Frequencies?

Frequencies earns 5 badges, led by One of a kind and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Frequencies worth watching?

Frequencies' Midcredits score is the 73rd percentile of all films, from 23K ratings across 4 sources. 65% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

73rd percentile

Better received than 73% of films

89th percentile among Mystery73rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)71st
Approval (how many liked it)72nd

67 /100

71st percentile of all films

87th percentile among Mystery70th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.9 — solid but not unanimous.

65% liked it

72nd percentile of all films

85th percentile among Mystery73rd percentile among 2010s
65% rated it 7–1035% rated it 1–6

Critics 100% · Audience 77%

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

Awards

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

Reach

How many have seen it

88th percentile

23K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Mystery89th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 19% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • ambitious, thought-provoking script exploring determinism vs free will
  • strong performances from the cast, especially the child actors
  • original, low-budget sci-fi that relies on ideas rather than effects

Detractors panned

  • muddled, incoherent plot that becomes pretentious
  • stiff, emotionless acting and poor character development
  • tedious pacing and overly long runtime

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive85

unique frequency-based concept; both camps note derivative elements

CinematographyDivisive75

artistic framing and color grading; some call it amateurish

AtmosphereDivisive70

immersive dystopian tone; some find it cold and unengaging

ActingDivisive65

child actors praised; adult leads called stiff and unconvincing

CharactersDivisive55

compelling arcs but lack depth and emotional warmth

Plot and storyDivisive50

intriguing premise but execution seen as convoluted and unsatisfying

PacingDivisive50

slow build praised by fans, criticised as boring by detractors

Emotional impactDivisive45

fans moved by love story; detractors call it emotionless

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Frequencies like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something to think about afterwards.

It leaves you thinking.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseBittersweetRomantic
Heaviest: late
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsCold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.
ToneThe film plays its alternate-reality romance straight and earnestly, treating the deterministic premise as serious philosophy rather than a gimmick.
The rideThe film sustains a romantic tension that turns sour and accusatory as the implications of the frequency's power emerge, making the final stretch the most emotionally fraught.
StructureThe story unfolds in distinct life-stage parts — childhood testing, teenage years and adulthood — linked across time as Zak and Marie grow up. The chronology is essentially linear but told as loosely linked episodes.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayIt leaves a running argument about free will, determinism and whether the love that follows is genuinely chosen or engineered.
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).MysteryEnigma
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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2% (this title)
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Enigma: The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).

7% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

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

Why this archetypeThe film is driven by the question of whether a deterministic frequency system can be overcome: Zak devotes his life to solving it, and the story ends with the open question of what is genuinely real. Beneath that runs Zak's quest to raise his frequency and win Marie.

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 filmsSelfFateIdeas
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: 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% · 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% (this title): Fate 1% (this title) · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% (this title) · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Ideas

Fate · 1% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsTruth · 4% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates whether a predetermined frequency system can be overcome by will, and whether the love that results is chosen or engineered.
StanceThe film questions the ethics of engineered emotion and whether love can be genuine when its cause is artificial, without settling on a comfortable answer.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
AmbientSupportive music · original score · Blair Mowat
SettingA near-contemporary London where children are tested for a personal frequency that determines their life success
MusicMowat's score underscores the otherworldly and emotional aspects of the frequency device.

Content guide

Is Frequencies okay for kids?

Not Rated

Frequencies is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its sexual content at mild (31/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). Its drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UK12
  • Germany6
  • Sweden15
Overall
Mild · 3 of 5 categories
not ranked
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 39%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (14 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 Frequencies have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Frequencies?

Cast

At least 5 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Daniel Fraser
as Zak
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Eleanor Wyld
as Marie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Owen Pugh
as Theo
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
David Broughton-Davies
as Mr Strauss
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
David Barnaby
as Mr Fortune
Dylan Llewellyn
as Teen Zak
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Georgina Minter-Brown
as Teen Marie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Timothy Block
as Bridges
Ria Carroll
as Nicola Tesla
Tom England
as Teen Theo
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Frequencies?

Movies like Frequencies include Looper (2012), Mr. Nobody (2009) and Code 46 (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, several are dystopian films, and several are puzzle films.

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

10 of these 12 share its subject: fate. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

635 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dystopian. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.