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Serena

Serena

Some loves can never let go.

2014109 minRMidcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Director
Susanne Bier
Starring
Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Rhys Ifans, Toby Jones

North Carolina mountains at the end of the 1920s – George and Serena Pemberton, love-struck newly-weds, begin to build a timber empire. Serena soon proves herself to be equal to any man: overseeing loggers, hunting rattle-snakes, even saving a man’s life in the wilderness. With power and influence now in their hands, the Pembertons refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their inflated love and ambitions. However, once Serena discovers George’s hidden past and faces an unchangeable fate of her own, the Pemberton’s passionate marriage begins to unravel leading toward a dramatic reckoning.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Serena?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Serena streaming on Magnolia Selects via Prime Video and Netflix and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Serena?

Serena earns 8 badges, led by Visual feast and Overhyped.

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

Reception

Is Serena worth watching?

Serena's Midcredits score is the 19th percentile of all films, from 53K ratings across 6 sources. 28% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

19th percentile

Better received than 19% of films

14th percentile among Drama20th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)22nd
Approval (how many liked it)20th

52 /100

22nd percentile of all films

17th percentile among Drama24th percentile among 2010s

Critics 36 · Audience 54

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.6 — solid but not unanimous.

28% liked it

20th percentile of all films

14th percentile among Drama19th percentile among 2010s
28% rated it 7–1072% rated it 1–6

Critics 17% · Audience 24%

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

Awards

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

93rd percentile

53K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Drama94th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$100K
Domestic gross$176K
Worldwide gross$5.1M

Returned 0.2× its budget — 78th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film looks beautiful and has talented actors, but is often unfocused and emotionally flat.

Fans praised

  • Striking visuals and gorgeous cinematography
  • Strong lead performances, especially Jennifer Lawrence
  • Engaging period setting and atmospheric drama

Detractors panned

  • Lack of character development makes romance unconvincing
  • Disjointed subplots and weak story coherence
  • Dull, uninvolving drama with poor tension

What stands out

Cinematography82

Beautiful shots, stunning visuals

AtmosphereDivisive68

Well-crafted period setting, but gloomy and cold

ActingDivisive62

Strong cast but inconsistent chemistry; Lawrence praised, Harris criticized

Emotional impactDivisive32

Fails to connect emotionally, cold and uninvolving

CharactersDivisive30

Underdeveloped leads, unsympathetic and cold

Tension30

Lacks tension and thrills

Plot and storyDivisive28

Weak narrative, disjointed subplots, poor coherence

Pacing20

Too long, awkward pacing, micro-scenes stalling development

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Serena like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its dark material with earnest gravity, aiming for tragedy but with a dour, relentless tone.
The rideThe mood shifts from a fierce, hopeful beginning into a tense, brooding middle as the couple's drive hardens into something darker.
StructureThe story is presented in a straightforward chronological order, though some critics note uneven pacing.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe story's descent into corruption and destruction leaves a lingering sense of tragedy and unease.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic 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).Tragedy
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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · 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%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeA married couple's ambitious drive to build a timber empire leads to moral decay and destruction, following a classic tragic arc of corruption.

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 filmsSelfMarriageBonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% (this title) · 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% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% (this title) · 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

Marriage · 2% of filmsAmbition · 7% of filmsPower · 2% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a passionate but destructive marriage bound by shared ambition, and how that bond twists into something ruthless.
StanceThe film questions the cost of ambition and the bond of marriage when both are pushed to extremes.

The world

Early 20th centuryWildernessRuralRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score · Johan Söderqvist
Setting1920s North Carolina timber country, remote mountain logging camps
MusicThe score likely underlines the brooding tension of the couple's rise and fall.

Content guide

Is Serena okay for kids?

R

Serena is rated R: “Rated R for some violence and sexuality” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (61/100), sexual content at moderate (53/100), language at mild (35/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at moderate (55/100). Overall it is heavier than 19% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15A
  • South Korea18
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceΚ-15
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands16
  • PortugalM/14
  • Russia16+
  • Spain16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 47% of all filmsHeavier than 19% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 37%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 61%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 9%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 37%

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

The reason to think twice is violence. 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 Serena have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Serena?

Cast

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

Bradley Cooper
as George Pemberton
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.
Jennifer Lawrence
as Serena Pemberton
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.
Rhys Ifans
as Galloway
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.
Toby Jones
as Sheriff McDowell
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Blake Ritson
as Lowenstein
Sean Harris
as Campbell
Sam Reid
as Vaughn
Charity Wakefield
as Agatha
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Douglas Hodge
as Horace Kephart
Kim Bodnia
as Abe Hermann

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Serena?

Movies like Serena include Baby Doll (1956), Maestro (2023) and A Second Chance (2014). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about marriages in crisis, and half are films set in the rural American South.

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

5 of these 12 share its story type: corruption arc. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: tycoon. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.