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Secondhand Lions

Secondhand Lions

The McCann brothers have finally met their match.

2003109 minPGMidcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Director
Tim McCanlies
Starring
Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Haley Joel Osment, Josh Lucas

The comedic adventures of an introverted boy left on the doorstep of a pair of reluctant, eccentric great-uncles, whose exotic remembrances stir the boy's spirit and re-ignite the men's lives.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Secondhand Lions?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Secondhand Lions?

Secondhand Lions earns 8 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Comedy.

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

Reception

Is Secondhand Lions worth watching?

Secondhand Lions' Midcredits score is the 92nd percentile of all films, from 110K ratings across 6 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

92nd percentile

Better received than 92% of films

95th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)94th

73 /100

86th percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 2000s

Critics 52 · Audience 74

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.8 — solid but not unanimous.

84% liked it

94th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 2000s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Critics 60% · Audience 84%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 6 noms overall

96th percentile

110K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Comedy92nd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 26% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$13M
Domestic gross$42M
Worldwide gross$48M

Returned 1.6× its budget — 90th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sentimental coming-of-age tale anchored by strong performances from its veteran leads.

Fans praised

  • Michael Caine and Robert Duvall deliver flawless, magnetic performances
  • Endearing, heartfelt coming-of-age story with grand adventure
  • Well-crafted blend of drama, comedy and action

Detractors panned

  • Haley Joel Osment gives a weak, unconvincing performance
  • Cartoony characters and cheesy twists lack any baseline truth
  • Formulaic coming-of-age plot with no real stakes

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Caine and Duvall praised as flawless; Osment divisive

Emotional impactDivisive70

Heartfelt and endearing to fans, overly sentimental to critics

CharactersDivisive65

Eccentric uncles endearing but cartoonish to some

Dialogue60

Humor springs from well-written exchanges

Plot and storyDivisive55

Familiar coming-of-age formula, some call it weak

Originality40

Derivative coming-of-age tale, not a new story

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 12 points higher than critics.

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Secondhand Lions 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 is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. 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

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmBittersweetContemplative
Heaviest: middle
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 holds its material with earnest, heartfelt sincerity, balancing gentle humour with poignant drama.
The rideThe film sustains a warm, reflective mood, with the emotional weight peaking as the uncles' past is revealed and the family bond deepens.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Walter's arrival to his departure, with the uncles' past revealed through linear flashbacks within that frame.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with restored faith in family and the possibility of redemption, a warm and uplifting feeling.
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

Why this archetypeWalter's summer with his estranged great-uncles transforms both the boy and the old men, healing wounds of neglect and loss. The film is a classic rebirth where broken people find family and purpose.

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% (this title) · 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% (this title)
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsComing of age · 5% of filmsLegacy · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the summer that forges a deep family bond between a boy and his two reclusive great-uncles, alongside the boy's growth and the uncles' hidden past.
StanceThe film celebrates family bonds and the value of sticking together, portraying the uncles' eccentricity and the growing connection as something to be cherished.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Patrick Doyle
SettingA remote farm in Texas during the 1960s
MusicPatrick Doyle's score supports the warm yet adventurous tone, underscoring both the whimsy and the emotional beats.

Content guide

Is Secondhand Lions okay for kids?

PG

Secondhand Lions is rated PG: “Rated PG for thematic material, language and action violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (36/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at moderate (41/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at moderate (37/100). Overall it is heavier than 60% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK12
  • CanadaPG
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • BrazilL
  • GreecePG
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 19% of all filmsHeavier than 60% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 50%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 36%
Profanity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 81%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 48%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 81% of PG-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 Secondhand Lions have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Secondhand Lions?

Cast

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

Michael Caine
as Garth
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.
Robert Duvall
as Hub
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.
Haley Joel Osment
as Walter
Josh Lucas
as Adult Walter
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kyra Sedgwick
as Mae
Christian Kane
as Young Hub
Nicky Katt
as Stan
Eric Balfour
as Sheik's Grandson
Kevin Haberer
as Young Garth
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Emmanuelle Vaugier
as Jasmine
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 Secondhand Lions?

Movies like Secondhand Lions include The Astronaut Farmer (2006) and The Ultimate Gift (2006), both films set in Texas and the Southwest.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Secondhand Lions?

6.1K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: mentor and protégé. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.