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Jeffrey

Jeffrey

Love is an adventure when one of you is sure... and the other is positive.

199592 minRMidcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Director
Christopher Ashley
Starring
Steven Weber, Patrick Stewart, Michael T. Weiss, Bryan Batt

Jeffrey, a gay man living in New York City with an overwhelming fear of contracting AIDS, concludes that being celibate is the only option to protect himself. As fate would have it, shortly after his declaration of a sex-free existence, he meets the handsome Steve Howard, his dream man -- except for his HIV-positive status. Facing this dilemma, Jeffrey turns to his best friend and an outrageous priest for guidance.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Jeffrey?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Jeffrey?

Jeffrey earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Users.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Jeffrey worth watching?

Jeffrey's Midcredits score is the 73rd percentile of all films, from 11K ratings across 4 sources. 64% 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

81st percentile among Comedy75th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)71st

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

81st percentile among Comedy76th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

64% liked it

71st percentile of all films

78th percentile among Comedy73rd percentile among 1990s
64% rated it 7–1036% rated it 1–6

Critics 71% · Audience 68%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

82nd percentile

11K ratings across platforms

79th percentile among Comedy75th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$186K
Domestic gross$3.5M
Worldwide gross$3.5M

59th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps note the film is a campy, low-budget romantic comedy that tackles AIDS with broad humor and a starry cameo cast.

Fans praised

  • Patrick Stewart's scene-stealing camp performance
  • Hilarious satire of AIDS-era anxiety and charity events
  • Surprising emotional depth and cathartic humor

Detractors panned

  • Wooden, miscast lead with no chemistry
  • Stagey, uneven direction and cheap TV-movie look
  • Relying on offensive gay stereotypes and Hollywood preachiness

What stands out

HumorDivisive72

Broad camp and satire land; many misjudged or flat jokes

DialogueDivisive72

Witty, biting one-liners mixed with stilted stagey lines

ActingDivisive68

Patrick Stewart lauded; lead Weber widely panned as miscast and wooden

Emotional impactDivisive65

Sincere pathos amid tears and laughter but feels manipulative to some

CharactersDivisive50

Supporting caricatures fun, lead Jeffrey underdeveloped and whiny

Plot and storyDivisive48

Thin, episodic structure like loosely connected vignettes

OriginalityDivisive45

Derivative sitcom feel, stereotypes from earlier gay films

PacingDivisive40

Sags in middle, disjointed vignettes kill momentum

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 36 points higher than critics.

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

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Jeffrey like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle and funny, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. 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

Feel-good.

Moods
BittersweetHopefulRomantic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its protagonist's dilemma with empathy and humour, playing the emotional conflict straight while using comic exaggeration for his inner dialogue.
The rideThe mood is gently warm and comic throughout, with a sobering undertow that rises in the final act as Jeffrey faces his decision.
StructureThe story follows a linear arc: Jeffrey's decision, meeting Steve, and the resolution of his internal conflict.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film resolves with a warm affirmation of love over fear, leaving a bittersweet awareness of the risk.
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).Comedy
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% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Romantic comedy: Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.

11% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeJeffrey's celibacy vow creates the central comic obstacle when he meets his ideal partner, forcing a choice between fear and love.

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 filmsSelfPurposeSelf
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% (this title): 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% (this title) · 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

Purpose · 9% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsMortality · 2% 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 film is about a man trying to find a reason to open himself to love in the face of the AIDS crisis.
StanceThe film questions whether love is worth the risk of grief, without settling on a definitive answer.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalJazzSupportive music · original score · Stephen Endelman
Settinggay New York in the mid-90s AIDS era
MusicA light, melodic score that underscores the film's romantic-comedy register without overwhelming it.

Content guide

Is Jeffrey okay for kids?

R

Jeffrey is rated R: “Rated R for strong sexuality and language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), 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.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • Netherlands14
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
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 Jeffrey have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Jeffrey?

Cast

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

Steven Weber
as Jeffrey
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Patrick Stewart
as Sterling
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael T. Weiss
as Steve Howard
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bryan Batt
as Darius
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Nathan Lane
as Father Dan
newcomer then · star now
Sigourney Weaver
as Debra Moorhouse
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.
Olympia Dukakis
as Mrs. Marcangelo
Robert Klein
as Skip Winkley
Christine Baranski
as Ann Marwood Bartle
Kathy Najimy
as Acolyte

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Jeffrey?

Movies like Jeffrey include Sabrina (1954), Ghost Town (2008) and Head Over Heels (2001). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in Manhattan, and most are whirlwind romances.

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

All 12 share its story type: romantic comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: nature. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.