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Saint Judy

Saint Judy

The fight for one is a fight for all.

2018106 minPG-13Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Director
Sean Hanish
Starring
Michelle Monaghan, Leem Lubany, Common, Alfred Molina

The true story of immigration attorney Judy Wood and how she singlehandedly changed the U.S. law of asylum to save women's lives.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Saint Judy?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Saint Judy streaming on The Roku Channel (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Free

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Saint Judy?

Saint Judy earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Saint Judy worth watching?

Saint Judy's Midcredits score is the 68th percentile of all films, from 3.6K ratings across 6 sources. 57% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

68th percentile

Better received than 68% of films

49th percentile among Biography68th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)62nd

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

58th percentile among Biography71st percentile among 2010s

Critics 51 · Audience 69

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

57% liked it

62nd percentile of all films

39th percentile among Biography62nd percentile among 2010s
57% rated it 7–1043% rated it 1–6

Critics 68% · Audience 84%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 4 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

80th percentile

3.6K ratings across platforms

60th percentile among Biography81st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 86% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$39K
Domestic gross$79K
Worldwide gross$248K

20th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it is a well-intentioned, fact-based biopic about immigration law that relies on familiar courtroom drama tropes.

Fans praised

  • inspiring true story of changing asylum law
  • Michelle Monaghan's determined and compassionate performance
  • timely and moving portrayal of immigration justice

Detractors panned

  • cliched and formulaic TV-movie feel
  • predictable legal drama with flat direction
  • heavy-handed political messaging

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Monaghan praised as compelling and tenacious; detractors call it reduced to mouthpiece

Emotional impactDivisive70

inspiring and moving for fans; detractors find it manipulative

EndingDivisive65

satisfying uplift for fans; detractors call it sentimental schmaltz

CharactersDivisive60

Judy Wood shown as determined but underdeveloped; supporting roles functional

Plot and storyDivisive55

straightforward true-story legal arc; detractors call it predictable and cliched

PacingDivisive55

lags at times but maintains focus on legal and personal struggles

Dialogue50

expositional and sometimes cringy; serves message over naturalism

Originality35

standard biopic and courtroom formula; seen as TV-movie derivative

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 20 points higher than men.

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

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Saint Judy like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

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

It leaves you hopeful.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
HopefulTenseTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its inspirational true story straight, treating its subject with gravity while maintaining a warm affection for its characters.
The rideThe film builds tension in court but resolves with a triumphant, hopeful note, as typical for inspirational legal dramas.
StructureThe story follows a conventional courtroom-drama arc: introduction of the case, legal and personal struggles, and a victorious resolution.

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 leaves the viewer inspired by Judy's determination and the real-world impact of her case, instilling hope that one person can make a difference.
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

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

Why this archetypeJudy Wood takes on a flawed asylum system to save her client and change the law, fitting an overcoming-the-monster story where the institution itself is the antagonist.

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% · 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% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsOppression · 4% of filmsHope · 5% of films
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 pursuit of justice through the asylum system, highlighting the oppression faced by the client and the hopeful impact of one person's fight.
StanceThe film celebrates Judy's fight for justice, presenting her as a heroic figure who changes the law and inspires hope.

The world

Early 21st centuryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · James T. Sale
SettingLos Angeles immigration courts and Judy's home life
MusicAn original score by James T. Sale supports the film's emotional and inspirational moments.

Content guide

Is Saint Judy okay for kids?

PG-13

Saint Judy is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic material and language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at moderate (56/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (17/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • South Korea12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (9 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 Saint Judy have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Saint Judy?

Cast

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

Michelle Monaghan
as Judy Wood
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.
Leem Lubany
as Asefa
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Common
as Benjamin Adebayo
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alfred Molina
as Ray Hernandez
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.
Alfre Woodard
as Judge Benton
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Mykelti Williamson
as Dikembe Mustafa
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Ben Schnetzer
as Parker
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Gabriel Bateman
as Alex Wood
Peter Krause
as Matthew
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Waleed Zuaiter
as Omar

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Saint Judy?

Movies like Saint Judy include On the Basis of Sex (2018), Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) and Philadelphia (1993). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories of institutional injustice, and all are films about the law.

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

All 12 share its story type: courtroom drama. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Saint Judy?

778 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: courtroom drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.