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Mississippi Grind

Mississippi Grind

We can't lose.

2015108 minRMidcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Directors
Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring
Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, Sienna Miller, Lio Tipton

Gerry is a talented but down-on-his-luck gambler whose fortunes begin to change when he meets Curtis, a younger, highly charismatic poker player. The two strike up an immediate friendship and Gerry quickly persuades his new friend to accompany him on a road trip to a legendary high stakes poker game in New Orleans. As they make their way down the Mississippi River, Gerry and Curtis manage to find themselves in just about every bar, racetrack, casino, and pool hall they can find, experiencing both incredible highs and dispiriting lows, but ultimately forging a deep and genuine bond that will stay with them long after their adventure is over.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Mississippi Grind?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Mississippi Grind streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Mississippi Grind?

Mississippi Grind earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

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

Reception

Is Mississippi Grind worth watching?

Mississippi Grind's Midcredits score is the 58th percentile of all films, from 70K ratings across 6 sources. 50% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

58th percentile

Better received than 58% of films

66th percentile among Comedy58th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)63rd
Approval (how many liked it)52nd

65 /100

63rd percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Comedy63rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 77 · Audience 64

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

50% liked it

52nd percentile of all films

58th percentile among Comedy52nd percentile among 2010s
50% rated it 7–1050% rated it 1–6

Critics 91% · Audience 56%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 3 noms overall

94th percentile

70K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$6M
Opening weekend$12K
Domestic gross$131K
Worldwide gross$423K

Returned 0.1× its budget — 35th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it's a low-key, character-focused road movie about two gambling addicts, with strong lead acting but a deliberately slow, meandering pace.

Fans praised

  • Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds deliver powerful lead performances
  • unlikely buddy chemistry with surprisingly endearing dynamic
  • understated, character-driven road drama with real emotional depth

Detractors panned

  • slow-burn pacing that drags into pointlessness
  • neglects the gambling addiction theme it sets up
  • little substance or character building, lacking punch and originality

What stands out

Acting78

Mendelsohn and Reynolds both praised, though some note no real chemistry

Characters68

well-crafted leading duo, some say underdeveloped or lacking depth

Atmosphere65

gritty, authentic casino and backwater setting

Emotional impactDivisive62

moving portrait of addiction and friendship, but muted for some

Plot and story42

thin, episodic road-trip structure some call pointless

Originality40

familiar gambling-addict buddy formula

Pacing38

slow-burn that drags, especially mid-film

Ending35

disappointing, with a controversial note of optimism

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 26 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Mississippi Grind like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something serious and affecting.

It takes its time, has a few laughs 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

Moods
TenseBittersweetMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Dry humor
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material at a knowing distance, observing the grim reality of gambling addiction with a wry, melancholic detachment rather than moralizing or romanticizing it.
The rideThe film maintains a nervous, high-stakes energy at the tables, balanced by melancholy quiet moments; the emotional weight accumulates toward the ending's separation and ambiguous hope.
StructureThe narrative is told in a conventional linear order, following the two protagonists as they travel from casino to casino. The structure is essentially a journey with a series of episodic stops, but it still builds toward a final destination and climax.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the lingering melancholy of watching a man's self-destruction, but also with questions about the nature of luck, friendship, and whether change is possible.
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).Voyage
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% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% (this title) · 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%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Fish out of water: Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).

4% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe story follows a compulsive gambler and his charismatic new friend on a road trip through the South, chasing a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans. The journey itself, and the relationship that develops along the way, is the heart of the film rather than a clear-cut heroic arc.

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 filmsSelfAddictionSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · 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% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% (this title) · 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%

Survival

Addiction · 1% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on compulsive gambling and its destructive pull, while the relationship between Gerry and Curtis explores friendship, trust, and the possibility of change.
StanceThe film explores addiction without moralising, asking whether the characters can change while refusing easy answers about their futures.

The world

ContemporaryRuralUrbanIn transitInstitutionalRealistic
FolkJazzSupportive music · original score · Scott Bomar
SettingCasinos, dog tracks, and bars along the Mississippi River from St. Louis to New Orleans
MusicA bluesy, Southern-tinged score that underscores the road-trip atmosphere and the characters' weary momentum.

Content guide

Is Mississippi Grind okay for kids?

R

Mississippi Grind is rated R: “Rated R for language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (40/100), sexual content at mild (23/100), language at moderate (57/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (55/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Overall it is heavier than 10% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 12 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Netherlands6
  • PortugalM/14
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 36% of all filmsHeavier than 10% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 20%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 32%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 69%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 32% of R-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 Mississippi Grind have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Mississippi Grind?

Cast

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

Ben Mendelsohn
as Gerry
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ryan Reynolds
as Curtis
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.
Sienna Miller
as Simone
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lio Tipton
as Vanessa
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Alfre Woodard
as Sam
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
James Toback
as Tony Roundtree
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Robin Weigert
as Dorothy
Yvonne Landry
as Louise
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Anthony Howard
as Larry
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jayson Warner Smith
as Clifford
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 Mississippi Grind?

Movies like Mississippi Grind include The Last Detail (1973), Nebraska (2013) and Down by Law (1986). Two are road-trip stories; two are stories about buddy duos.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Mississippi Grind?

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: road movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.