Skip to content
MovieCove
Suffragette

Suffragette

Mothers. Daughters. Rebels.

2015106 minPG-13Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Director
Sarah Gavron
Starring
Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff

Based on true events about the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Suffragette?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Suffragette?

Suffragette earns 8 badges, led by Standout acting and Star-studded.

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

Reception

Is Suffragette worth watching?

Suffragette's Midcredits score is the 78th percentile of all films, from 112K ratings across 6 sources. 69% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

78th percentile

Better received than 78% of films

80th percentile among Drama78th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)76th
Approval (how many liked it)77th

69 /100

76th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 2010s

Critics 64 · Audience 69

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

69% liked it

77th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Drama78th percentile among 2010s
69% rated it 7–1031% rated it 1–6

Critics 72% · Audience 68%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 14 wins / 21 noms overall

96th percentile

111K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 28% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$14M
Opening weekend$76K
Domestic gross$4.7M
Worldwide gross$32M

Returned 2.3× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a well-acted, earnest but heavy-handed historical drama about the suffragette movement that prioritizes worthy messaging over nuanced storytelling.

Fans praised

  • Carey Mulligan's committed, emotionally layered lead performance
  • Visceral depiction of suffragette violence, state brutality, and force-feeding
  • Important, eye-opening historical subject with modern resonance

Detractors panned

  • One-dimensional, stock male characters who are uniformly unsympathetic
  • Fictional composite protagonist feels schematic and lacks a coherent inner life
  • Script is clichéd, manipulative, and fails to build real emotional engagement

What stands out

Acting82

Mulligan's restrained, powerful turn and strong supporting cast, though some find the men one-note

Atmosphere75

Grim, authentic period feel of oppressive 1912 London

Dialogue60

Some stirring speeches but also heavy-handed, clichéd lines

Emotional impactDivisive55

Maud's personal losses intended to move but often feel schematic and unearned

Pacing55

Grim, methodical buildup; final act gains tension but earlier stretches drag

Plot and storyDivisive50

Predictable rise-and-fall arc; overstuffed but underdeveloped, with weak cause-and-effect

CharactersDivisive45

Fictional Maud feels like a composite cipher; husband Sonny and other males are stock oppressors

Originality40

Conventional biopic-by-numbers approach rarely transcends the format

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 19 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 16 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Suffragette 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 and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseBittersweetHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its historical subject with grave respect and emotional weight, played straight without irony.
The rideThe film is tense and pressured throughout, with brief moments of hope and solidarity that build to the heavy toll of the climax.
StructureConventional chronological narrative tracing Maud's journey from apolitical laundry worker to committed activist.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the weight of the sacrifices made but also inspired by the courage and eventual victory of the movement.
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).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · 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%: 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. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows working-class women radicalized into civil disobedience against the patriarchal British state, which systematically oppresses and imprisons them.

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 filmsSelf
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% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · 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%

Power

Oppression · 4% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsSacrifice · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centres on the systemic oppression of women denied the vote and the fight to win that freedom, with the collective movement demanding personal sacrifice.
StanceThe film celebrates the suffragette movement's courage and sacrifice, portraying their fight for freedom as noble and necessary.

The world

Early 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Alexandre Desplat
Setting1912 London — laundries, suffragette meeting rooms, police stations, and prisons
MusicDesplat's score is sweeping and emotional, elevating the historical stakes.

Content guide

Is Suffragette okay for kids?

PG-13

Suffragette is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some intense violence, thematic elements, brief strong language and partial nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (59/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at mild (32/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (15/100) and frightening material at intense (63/100). Overall it is heavier than 66% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Austria12
  • Denmark11
  • GreeceΚ-12
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands14
  • Poland16
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 41% of all filmsHeavier than 66% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 69%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 72%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 24%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 14%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%

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

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-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 Suffragette have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Suffragette?

Cast

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

Carey Mulligan
as Maud Watts
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.
Helena Bonham Carter
as Edith Ellyn
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.
Brendan Gleeson
as Inspector Arthur Steed
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Anne-Marie Duff
as Violet Miller
Meryl Streep
as Emmeline Pankhurst
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.
Ben Whishaw
as Sonny Watts
Romola Garai
as Alice Haughton
Samuel West
as Benedict Haughton
Geoff Bell
as Norman Taylor
Natalie Press
as Emily Wilding Davison

Crew

Directed by

Sarah Gavron

Written by

Abi Morgan

Cinematography

Eduard Grau

Edited by

Barney Pilling

Music by

Alexandre Desplat

Produced by

Alison OwenFaye Ward

More like this

What are movies like Suffragette?

Movies like Suffragette include The Iron Lady (2011), The Last Station (2009) and The Winslow Boy (1999). Of the 12 closest matches, all are period dramas, and half are films set in London.

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

8 of these 12 share its story type: oppressive state. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

5.2K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: marriage in crisis. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.