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Performance

Performance

See them all in a film about fantasy. And reality. Vice. And versa.

1970105 minRMidcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Directors
Donald Cammell, Nicolas Roeg
Starring
James Fox, Mick Jagger, Anita Pallenberg, Michèle Breton

In underworld terms, Chas Devlin is a 'performer,' a gangster with a talent for violence and intimidation. Turner is a reclusive rock superstar. When Chas and Turner meet, their worlds collide—and the impact is both exotic and explosive.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Performance?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Performance?

Performance earns 10 badges, led by One of a kind and Visual feast.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Performance worth watching?

Performance's Midcredits score is the 74th percentile of all films, from 34K ratings across 5 sources. 63% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

74th percentile

Better received than 74% of films

76th percentile among Crime74th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)75th
Approval (how many liked it)70th

68 /100

75th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Crime76th percentile among 1970s

Critics 69 · Audience 68

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.9 — solid but not unanimous.

63% liked it

70th percentile of all films

70th percentile among Crime71st percentile among 1970s
63% rated it 7–1037% rated it 1–6

Critics 81% · Audience 78%

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

Awards

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

  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Film Editing

Reach

How many have seen it

85th percentile

34K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Crime90th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 4% in 30 days

Box office

Budget£750K

In British pound, not converted to dollars.

Worldwide gross$93K

27th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A film that splices a gritty gangster drama with a psychedelic trip, dividing audiences on whether the result is visionary or chaotic.

Fans praised

  • visually stunning with experimental editing and cinematography
  • bold exploration of identity, gender, and performance
  • James Fox's chillingly authentic gangster performance

Detractors panned

  • self-indulgent, incoherent, and lacking narrative structure
  • tedious second half devolves into pretentious drug-fueled nonsense
  • Mick Jagger's wooden acting and inability to play a character

What stands out

Originality90

Groundbreaking fusion of genres and drug-induced visual style; even complainers note it's unlike anything else

CinematographyDivisive88

Roeg's lush, disorienting visuals—jarring jump-cuts, lurid colors, mirrored compositions—praised as mesmerizing

AtmosphereDivisive85

Decaying bohemian mansion and grimy gangland London create an immersive, claustrophobic world

Sound and musicDivisive85

Eclectic soundtrack (Jagger's 'Memo From Turner', Randy Newman, The Last Poets) hailed as ahead of its time

ActingDivisive80

James Fox's committed, menacing performance as Chas widely praised; Jagger divisive—fans see natural charisma, detractors call it just being himself

CharactersDivisive65

Chas and Turner as fractured mirrors of identity compelling to fans; detractors call them underdeveloped caricatures

Plot and storyDivisive30

Narrative derails after Chas enters Turner's world; fans see dreamlike logic, detractors call it incoherent and meandering

PacingDivisive25

First half taut and gripping, second half sluggish and static; fans say disorientation is intentional

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 10 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 23 points higher than critics.

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

  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Performance 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 to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

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

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Dreamlike · 2% of films: Logic gives way to atmosphere and association.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its violent gangster world with gritty realism before pivoting to a surreal, hallucinatory bohemian enclave, played straight within each mode but with a knowing, experimental detachment in the editing.
The rideThe film sustains a constant undercurrent of dread and tension, punctuated by absurd, hallucinatory episodes, and the emotional weight culminates in the final violent act.
StructureThe plot unfolds chronologically despite the film's experimental editing and stylistic fragmentation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's identity dissolution and violent conclusion linger unsettlingly, inviting reflection on the interchangeability of personas.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic endingTwist

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).VoyageDescent
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% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1% (this title)
  • 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. · Descent: A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).

4% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeA violent gangster on the run from his mob boss seeks refuge in the home of a reclusive rock star, descending into a drug-fueled bohemian underworld that dissolves his identity.

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% · 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 filmsViolence · 4% of films
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 explores the fluidity and dissolution of identity as a gangster and a rock star merge into one another, with violence as both a tool and a mirror.
StanceThe film questions the stability of identity and the masks we wear, without celebrating or condemning the characters' transformations.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernRockExperimentalForeground music · hybrid · Jack Nitzsche
SettingLondon's criminal underworld collides with a bohemian townhouse in the late 1960s
MusicThe score blends orchestral passages with experimental rock, and includes a song by Mick Jagger; music often bleeds into the surreal soundscape.

Content guide

Is Performance okay for kids?

R

Performance is rated R: “Rated R for sexual content, nudity, drug material and some violence” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (82/100), sexual content at intense (69/100), language at moderate (43/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (68/100) and frightening material at intense (75/100). Overall it is heavier than 74% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK18
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Ireland18
  • South Korea19
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Italy18+
  • Netherlands16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 85% of all filmsHeavier than 74% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 68%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 87%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 86%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 71%

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

Heavy almost across the board: violence, frightening material, sexual content, and drug and alcohol 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 Performance have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Performance?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

James Fox
as Chas
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Mick Jagger
as Turner
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Anita Pallenberg
as Pherber
Michèle Breton
as Lucy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ann Sidney
as Dana
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
John Bindon
as Moody
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Stanley Meadows
as Rosebloom
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Allan Cuthbertson
as The Lawyer
Anthony Morton
as Dennis
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Johnny Shannon
as Harry Flowers
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Performance?

Movies like Performance include Lost Highway (1997), Blue Velvet (1986) and Santa Sangre (1989). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories of toxic codependency, and several are films about violence.

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

9 of these 12 share its subject: identity. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

1K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: gangster. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.