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Made in Dagenham

Made in Dagenham

In the fight for equal rights, an ordinary woman achieves something extraordinary.

Director
Nigel Cole

A dramatization of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination.

Where can I watch Made in Dagenham?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Made in Dagenham to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

What stands out about Made in Dagenham?

Made in Dagenham earns 5 badges, led by Top 10% in Comedy and Crowd Pleaser.

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

Is Made in Dagenham worth watching?

Made in Dagenham's Midcredits score is the 84th percentile of all films, from 27K ratings across 6 sources. 78% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

84th percentile

Better received than 84% of films

90th percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)77th
Approval (how many liked it)88th

69 /100

77th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Comedy76th percentile among 2010s

Critics 65 · Audience 70

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

78% liked it

88th percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Comedy89th percentile among 2010s
78% rated it 7–1022% rated it 1–6

Critics 80% · Audience 75%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 16 noms overall

  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Costume Design
  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Make Up & Hair

90th percentile

27K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$7.2M
Opening weekend$38K
Domestic gross$1.1M
Worldwide gross$13M

Returned 1.8× its budget — 76th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A formulaic yet spirited and entertaining dramatization of the 1968 Ford women's equal-pay strike.

Fans praised

  • Sally Hawkins' commanding, heartfelt performance as strike leader Rita O'Grady
  • Strong ensemble cast with standout turns from Miranda Richardson and Bob Hoskins
  • Uplifting crowd-pleasing tale balancing comedy and emotional heft

Detractors panned

  • One-dimensional male villains and caricature authority figures
  • Formulaic plot recycling beats from The Full Monty and Calendar Girls
  • Lack of historical nuance — sanitizes and simplifies real events

What stands out

Acting82

Sally Hawkins as vulnerable-then-fiery lead; superb support from Hoskins, Richardson, Pike

Emotional impactDivisive80

Audience moved by women's solidarity and personal sacrifices

Atmosphere76

Authentic factory floor camaraderie and period mood

CharactersDivisive72

Rita written as relatable everywoman; male authority figures written as buffoons

Plot and storyDivisive63

Formulaic rise-and-triumph arc; historical shortcuts diminish authenticity

OriginalityDivisive45

Recycles Full Monty/Calendar Girls tropes; predictable story beats

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

What is Made in Dagenham like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

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

It has a few laughs and leaves you hopeful.

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

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
HopefulWarmTenseTriumphant
Heaviest: middle
Register
WarmTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its historical material with affectionate sincerity, balancing gentle humour with earnest conviction about the women's struggle.
The rideThe mood shifts from light-hearted workplace scenes to tense confrontations during the strike, building to a hopeful resolution.
StructureThe story follows a conventional three-act structure: setup of the injustice, escalation of the strike, and resolution with government intervention.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's triumphant conclusion and the real-life impact leave the viewer both uplifted and inspired by the power of collective action.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% (this title) · 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. · Institutional injustice: A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rags to riches underneath

Why this archetypeThe women machinists strike to expose and overturn gender-based pay discrimination at Ford, turning a local grievance into a landmark equality movement.

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 filmsSelfJusticeMorality
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% (this title) · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsOppression · 4% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the fight for fair treatment and equal pay, highlighting how systemic sexism oppresses working women, and how solidarity builds a community that achieves change.
StanceThe film celebrates the women's collective action and their victory in the fight for equal pay.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
PopSupportive music · licensed compilation
SettingA Ford car factory and the surrounding working-class community in 1960s England
MusicIncludes the song 'You Can Get It If You Really Want' by Jimmy Cliff, used to underscore the triumphant mood.

Is Made in Dagenham okay for kids?

R

Made in Dagenham is rated R: “Rated R for language and brief sexuality” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at moderate (55/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at minimal (5/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • ItalyT
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 20%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 28%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (41 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 Made in Dagenham have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Who is in Made in Dagenham?

What are movies like Made in Dagenham?

Movies like Made in Dagenham include Hidden Figures (2016), Amazing Grace (2006) and The Magdalene Sisters (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, all are period dramas, and most are films set in the 1960s.

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

5 of these 12 share its story type: institutional injustice. Those cards say what else they share.

What else shares a premise, people or place with Made in Dagenham?

4.8K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: exposé. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.