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Step Brothers

Step Brothers

They grow up so fast.

200898 minRMidcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Director
Adam McKay
Starring
Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen

Brennan Huff and Dale Doback might be grown men. But that doesn't stop them from living at home and turning into jealous, competitive stepbrothers when their single parents marry. Brennan's constant competition with Dale strains his mom's marriage to Dale's dad, leaving everyone to wonder whether they'll ever see eye to eye.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Step Brothers?

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

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Highlights

What stands out about Step Brothers?

Step Brothers earns 9 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Step Brothers worth watching?

Step Brothers' Midcredits score is the 77th percentile of all films, from 1M ratings across 6 sources. 69% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

77th percentile

Better received than 77% of films

84th percentile among Comedy75th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)74th
Approval (how many liked it)77th

68 /100

74th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Comedy73rd percentile among 2000s

Critics 51 · Audience 70

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

69% liked it

77th percentile of all films

84th percentile among Comedy76th percentile among 2000s
69% rated it 7–1031% rated it 1–6

Critics 54% · Audience 69%

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

Awards

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

99th percentile

1M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 37% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$65M
Opening weekend$31M
Domestic gross$100M
Worldwide gross$128M

Returned 2.0× its budget — 96th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • ferrell-reilly chemistry and improvisational interplay
  • relentlessly funny, quotable one-liners and set pieces
  • unapologetic embrace of its own stupidity as comic virtue

Detractors panned

  • humor built entirely on shouting, crudeness and shock value
  • one-note premise exhausted within the first act
  • unlikeable, emotionally stunted protagonists with no charm

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

ferrell and reilly's total commitment to the man-child roles

HumorDivisive67

hit-or-miss ratio skewed toward misses for detractors

DialogueDivisive65

quotable improv vs. profanity substituting for wit

CharactersDivisive55

divisive — lovably childish vs. obnoxiously underdeveloped

Plot and storyDivisive28

paper-thin, treated as an afterthought by both camps

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 22 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 14 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 12 points higher than non-US viewers.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s even

Watch experience

What is Step Brothers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

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

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdJoyfulWarm
Heaviest: middle
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Playful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film commits fully to its ridiculous premise and characters, treating their immaturity with earnest, over-the-top comedy.
The rideThe mood is predominantly absurd and joyful, with the heaviest stretch (family conflict and separation) occurring in the middle of the film before the uplifting resolution.
StructureConventional three-act structure: cohabitation conflict, bonding, crisis, and reconciliation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's absurd humor and happy ending leave you entertained and amused.
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).Comedy
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% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Buddy comedy: A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTwo middle-aged slackers forced to live together as stepbrothers leads to escalating conflict and eventual friendship, driven by comedic set-pieces.

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% (this title) · 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%
  • 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 filmsFriendship · 9% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe central conflict is the forced creation of a new family unit, which eventually fosters genuine brotherly love and prompts both protagonists to grow up.
StanceThe film celebrates the found family bond and the idea that growing up doesn't mean losing your inner child, presenting its primary theme (family bonds) with warmth even amid the absurdity.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalOrchestral modernPopSupportive music · hybrid · Jon Brion
Settingsuburban California, in and around the Doback family home and nearby office/medical settings
MusicThe score underlines the absurdity with playful orchestral touches, while the climactic performance of Por Ti Volare is a key pop-music moment.

Content guide

Is Step Brothers okay for kids?

R

Step Brothers is rated R: “Rated R for crude and sexual content, and pervasive language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (38/100), sexual content at intense (69/100), language at severe (90/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at minimal (14/100). Overall it is heavier than 48% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland18
  • JapanR18+
  • Brazil14
  • Austria12
  • BGC
  • Denmark11
  • Hungary18
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesR-18
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland16
  • UA16+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 69% of all filmsHeavier than 48% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 18%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 86%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 91%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 21%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 6%

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

The reason to think twice is language and sexual 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 Step Brothers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Step Brothers?

Cast

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

Will Ferrell
as Brennan Huff
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.
John C. Reilly
as Dale Doback
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.
Richard Jenkins
as Dr. Robert Doback
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mary Steenburgen
as Nancy Huff
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Adam Scott
as Derek
Kathryn Hahn
as Alice
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Andrea Savage
as Denise
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rob Riggle
as Randy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Lurie Poston
as Tommy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Elizabeth Yozamp
as Tiffany
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Step Brothers?

Movies like Step Brothers include Get Hard (2015), Superbad (2007) and I Love You, Man (2009). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films with Will Ferrell, and all are films that feel absurdist.

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

All 12 share its story type: buddy comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Step Brothers?

1.7K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: tycoon. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.