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Manodrome

Manodrome

202395 minRMidcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Director
John Trengove
Starring
Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Philip Ettinger

Ralphie is an Uber driver and aspiring bodybuilder who is inducted into a libertarian masculinity cult and loses his grip on reality when his repressed desires are awakened.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Manodrome?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Manodrome streaming on MovieSphere+ via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Manodrome?

Manodrome earns 3 badges, led by Standout acting and Overhyped.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Manodrome worth watching?

Manodrome's Midcredits score is the 10th percentile of all films, from 15K ratings across 6 sources. 21% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

10th percentile

Better received than 10% of films

6th percentile among Drama11th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)14th
Approval (how many liked it)10th

48 /100

14th percentile of all films

10th percentile among Drama16th percentile among 2020s

Critics 48 · Audience 48

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

21% liked it

10th percentile of all films

6th percentile among Drama11th percentile among 2020s
21% rated it 7–1079% rated it 1–6

Critics 49% · Audience 23%

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

Awards

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

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

15K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 4% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it's a slow-burn, Fight Club-esque study of a troubled man drawn into an incel-like men's group, with strong performances but divisive execution.

Fans praised

  • Eisenberg's volatile, physically committed lead performance
  • Brody's creepy, magnetic guru turn
  • raw, cold visuals and troubling atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • aimless, slow-burn pacing with no payoff
  • implausible, thin characters and vague group motivations
  • muddled, credibility-straining story

What stands out

Acting78

Eisenberg's physical intensity and Brody's unsettling charm praised; even critics calling the film muddled credit the cast

Cinematography75

Cold, raw shots and beautiful visuals praised even by mixed critics

Atmosphere70

Uncomfortable, pressure-cooker tone; polarizing but effective for many

CharactersDivisive45

Thin supporting roles and implausible group dynamics; Ralphie's internal torment resonates more with fans

Originality45

Derivative of Fight Club/Taxi Driver; some value its incel-era update, others see it as a shadow

Plot and storyDivisive40

Credibility issues and aimless structure; no clear narrative drive for many

PacingDivisive35

Slow-burn to a fault for detractors; fans say it rewards patience with mounting dread

EndingDivisive35

Abrupt, unsatisfying finale; fans wanted a few more minutes to land it

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Manodrome like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want every question answered.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseCold
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsBrutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its subject with grim seriousness, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe synopsis sustains a mounting atmosphere of dread from Ralphie's first encounter with the cult through to the violent confrontations, with no significant respite.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Ralphie's initiation to his violent unraveling.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

The answer rests on this: UnsettlingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's portrait of a man consumed by a toxic ideology leaves a lingering unease about the societal forces at play.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1% (this title)
  • 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. · Inner demon: The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.

21% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeRalphie is drawn into a misogynistic cult that unleashes his suppressed rage, leading to a violent breakdown.

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% · 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% (this title) · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · 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 filmsIsolation · 5% of filmsViolence · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeRalphie's fractured sense of self is preyed upon by a cult that offers a toxic masculine identity, replacing his missing father figure with a doctrine of rage and domination.
StanceThe film treats Ralphie's descent as a cautionary tale about the dangers of toxic masculinity and cult-like manipulation, warning rather than celebrating or simply observing.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Christopher Stracey
Settingan unnamed American city and a cult compound outside it
MusicThe score likely underscores the psychological tension and Ralphie's internal unraveling.

Content guide

Is Manodrome okay for kids?

R

Manodrome is rated R: “Rated R for violence, sexual content, language, graphic nudity and some drug use” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at intense (64/100), language at severe (92/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (57/100) and frightening material at severe (85/100). Its language and frightening material have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 87% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Netherlands16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 92% of all filmsHeavier than 87% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Profanity
Severe
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 71%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

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

The reason to think twice is violence and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

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 Manodrome have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Manodrome?

Cast

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

Jesse Eisenberg
as Ralphie
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.
Adrien Brody
as Dad Dan
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.
Odessa Young
as Sal
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Philip Ettinger
as Jason
Sallieu Sesay
as Ahmet
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Evan Jonigkeit
as Son Brad
Caleb Joshua Eberhardt
as Son Aaron
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ethan Suplee
as Dad Leo
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Lamar Johnson
as Garfield
Gheorghe Muresan
as Sachiel
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Manodrome?

Movies like Manodrome include Urge (2016), The Scribbler (2014) and Possum (2018). Of the 10 closest matches, several are films set inside an institution, and half are films that feel bleak.

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

9 of these 10 share its story type: psychological thriller. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

5.8K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: psychological thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.