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Marvin's Room

Marvin's Room

A story about the years that keep us apart... And the moments that bring us together.

199698 minPG-13Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Director
Jerry Zaks
Starring
Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro

A leukemia patient attempts to end a 20-year feud with her sister to get her bone marrow.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Marvin's Room?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Marvin's Room to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Marvin's Room?

Marvin's Room earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Marvin's Room worth watching?

Marvin's Room's Midcredits score is the 71st percentile of all films, from 63K ratings across 6 sources. 61% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

71st percentile

Better received than 71% of films

73rd percentile among Drama73rd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)67th

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

74th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 1990s

Critics 67 · Audience 68

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

61% liked it

67th percentile of all films

68th percentile among Drama69th percentile among 1990s
61% rated it 7–1039% rated it 1–6

Critics 83% · Audience 63%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 12 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actress in a Leading Role
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

93rd percentile

63K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama89th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$23M
Opening weekend$58K
Domestic gross$13M
Worldwide gross$13M

Returned 0.6× its budget — 87th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A well-acted tearjerker that leans heavily on its excellent cast to elevate familiar, sentimental material.

Fans praised

  • Streep and Keaton's believable sisterly dynamic
  • DiCaprio's raw turn as a troubled teen
  • Screenplay's blend of humor and heart

Detractors panned

  • Soapy, TV-movie plot with manipulative sentiment
  • Maudlin, overly sentimental tone despite strong performances
  • Weak story carried only by the cast

What stands out

Acting85

Streep and Keaton shine, DiCaprio stands out

Emotional impactDivisive80

Tearjerker that divides viewers

DialogueDivisive75

Witty lines mixed with heartfelt moments

CharactersDivisive70

Sisters well-drawn, supporting roles thinly written

EndingDivisive70

Resolution feels earned if not groundbreaking

HumorDivisive70

Gentle comedy in family dynamics

Plot and storyDivisive55

Familiar family-drama structure, predictable at times

Originality45

Derivative of stage plays, but with sharp dialogue

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men even
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Marvin's Room like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Quiet and reflective: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in a patient, quiet mood.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. 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

Quiet and reflective.

Moods
BittersweetMelancholicWarm
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its emotional family drama with sincerity and gentle humor, never undercutting the feelings despite the heaviness of the subject.
The rideThe emotional register stays low-key and compassionate throughout, with the weightiest moments arriving as the family confronts the gravity of the situation.
StructureLinear narrative following the sisters' reunion and the medical crisis, told in a straightforward chronological order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayA warm, bittersweet feeling about the healing of family bonds despite mortality, leaving the viewer with a sense of hope.
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).RebirthHealing
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% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe story centers on estranged sisters reconciling after a leukemia diagnosis, focusing on emotional healing and the repair of damaged family bonds.

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 filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · 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%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bonds
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe story centres on estranged sisters Lee and Bessie reuniting to care for their dying father, exploring the obligations and strains of family.
StanceThe film presents family bonds and estrangement without moralising, simply watching how these flawed people find their way back to each other.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Rachel Portman
Settinga family home and a hospital in a small Ohio town
MusicPortman's score is tender and unobtrusive, underscoring the emotional beats without overwhelming them.

Content guide

Is Marvin's Room okay for kids?

PG-13

Marvin's Room is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (11/100), sexual content at mild (18/100), language at moderate (41/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (49/100) and frightening material at mild (31/100). Its violence has too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 23% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • UK12
  • Germany6
  • South Korea12
  • Czechia12+
  • Sweden7
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 19% of all filmsHeavier than 23% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 25%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 48%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 91%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 28%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is drug and alcohol content, heavier than 91% of PG-13-rated films.

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 Marvin's Room have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Marvin's Room?

Cast

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

Meryl Streep
as Lee
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - DramaTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Diane Keaton
as Bessie
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Actress in a Leading Role
Leonardo DiCaprio
as Hank
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a CastTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert De Niro
as Dr. Wally
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a CastTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hume Cronyn
as Marvin
Gwen Verdon
as Ruth
Hal Scardino
as Charlie
Dan Hedaya
as Bob
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Margo Martindale
as Dr. Charlotte
Cynthia Nixon
as Retirement Home Director

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Marvin's Room?

Movies like Marvin's Room include The Skeleton Twins (2014), Crimes of the Heart (1986) and Hanging Up (2000). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about siblings, and most are stories of healing.

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

All 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Marvin's Room?

3.5K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: sibling bond. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.