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Half Moon Street

Half Moon Street

Dr. Lauren Slaughter, professor, emissary, hooker, target.

198690 minRMidcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Director
Bob Swaim
Starring
Sigourney Weaver, Michael Caine, Patrick Kavanagh, Faith Kent

Dr. Lauren Slaughter, a research fellow at the Arab-Anglo Institute in London is utterly frustrated by her job. To supplement her income, she starts moonlighting at the Jasmine Escort Service, where she has more control over men and money than she does at the office. On one of her 'dates', Lauren meets the politician Lord Bulbeck who is trying to mediate a peace accord between the Arabs and Israelis. Bulbeck falls in love with his escort, and unwittingly, Lauren becomes a pawn in some very dirty politics.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Half Moon Street?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Half Moon Street on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Half Moon Street?

Half Moon Street earns 1 badge: Box Office Flop.

Reception

Is Half Moon Street worth watching?

Half Moon Street's Midcredits score is the 21st percentile of all films, from 4.1K ratings across 4 sources. 25% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

21st percentile

Better received than 21% of films

17th percentile among Drama23rd percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)31st
Approval (how many liked it)15th

56 /100

31st percentile of all films

27th percentile among Drama31st 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

25% liked it

15th percentile of all films

10th percentile among Drama16th percentile among 1980s
25% rated it 7–1075% rated it 1–6

Critics 50% · Audience 33%

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

70th percentile

4.1K ratings across platforms

72nd percentile among Drama66th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26

Box office

Budget$8M
Domestic gross$1.1M
Worldwide gross$1.1M

Returned 0.1× its budget — 62nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A film with an original premise that blends romance and political intrigue, but suffers from uneven execution.

Fans praised

  • Well-paced love story
  • Great chemistry between lead actors
  • Intriguing premise blends romance and political thriller

Detractors panned

  • Weak dialogue with clichéd exchanges
  • Unconvincing political thriller elements
  • Flat, one-dimensional characters

What stands out

ActingDivisive68

Weaver brings credibility, Caine adequate but not at his best

OriginalityDivisive55

Unusual premise but derivative execution

PacingDivisive45

Slow start with lulls before the climax

Plot and storyDivisive40

Tonal shift from romance to political thriller fails

EndingDivisive40

Cop-out conclusion with incompetent hit man

CharactersDivisive35

Lead character comes across as unlikable and implausibly perfect

Dialogue35

Stilted, clichéd exchanges

TensionDivisive30

Fails to generate suspense in thriller segments

Preferred by

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

  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Half Moon Street like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It leaves you bittersweet.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticTense
Heaviest: late
Witty humor
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsMelodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its central romance with sincerity while the political thriller elements are played earnestly, though the tonal shift weakens the overall effect.
The rideThe mood shifts from the romantic chemistry of the central relationship to tense political intrigue as the conspiracy surfaces in the final act.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Lauren's frustration at work through her moonlighting and into the political thriller climax.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a conflicted feeling about Lauren's choices and the uneasy outcome of the political conspiracy.
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).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · 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%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

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

Why this archetypeLauren unwittingly becomes a pawn in a political conspiracy against a peace process, and the story's tension stems from her gradual awareness and the threat to her and Bulbeck.

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 filmsSelfIdentitySelf
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%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · 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% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsClass · 3% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeLauren reconciles her academic self with her escort persona, navigating class boundaries and personal ambition.
StanceThe film questions the compromises Lauren makes and the dangerous intersection of personal relationships and high-stakes politics.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Richard Harvey
SettingLondon's academic and political circles intersecting with the high-class escort world

Content guide

Is Half Moon Street okay for kids?

R

Half Moon Street is rated R. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (50/100), sexual content at intense (61/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (17/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (24 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 Half Moon Street have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Half Moon Street?

Cast

Sigourney Weaver
as Lauren Slaughter
Michael Caine
as Lord Bulbeck
Patrick Kavanagh
as General Sir George Newhouse
Faith Kent
as Lady Newhouse
Ram John Holder
as Lindsay Walker
Keith Buckley
as Hugo Van Arkady
Nadim Sawalha
as Karim Hatami
Vincent Lindon
as Sonny
Maria Aitken
as The Hon. Maura Hardcastle
Donald Pickering
as George Hardcastle

Crew

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Half Moon Street?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: political thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.