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The Cleanse

The Cleanse

We all have our demons.

201681 minRMidcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Director
Bobby Miller
Starring
Johnny Galecki, Anna Friel, Anjelica Huston, Kyle Gallner

The story of a heartbroken man who attends a spiritual retreat, only to discover that the course releases more than everyday toxins and traumatic experiences.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Cleanse?

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

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Cleanse?

The Cleanse earns 2 badges, led by Overhyped and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Cleanse worth watching?

The Cleanse's Midcredits score is the 14th percentile of all films, from 9.2K ratings across 6 sources. 19% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

14th percentile

Better received than 14% of films

13th percentile among Comedy15th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)24th
Approval (how many liked it)7th

53 /100

24th percentile of all films

24th percentile among Comedy26th percentile among 2010s

Critics 58 · Audience 53

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

19% liked it

7th percentile of all films

6th percentile among Comedy7th percentile among 2010s
19% rated it 7–1081% rated it 1–6

Critics 79% · Audience 36%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 4 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

84th percentile

9.2K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Comedy85th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 43% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film has an interesting metaphorical premise about purging inner demons, but it feels like a short story stretched to feature length.

Fans praised

  • clever metaphor for inner demons and emotional baggage
  • practical creature effects feel tangible and warm
  • emotionally resonant ending that ties themes together

Detractors panned

  • underdeveloped story stretched thin from a short-film concept
  • flat, unsatisfying ending that feels abrupt and incomplete
  • fails as comedy or horror, lacking genuine laughs or scares

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive70

fresh metaphor but execution feels derivative of earlier cult films

Effects and spectacleDivisive68

practical creatures blend seamlessly into film

ActingDivisive65

solid lead performances but supporting cast underused

Emotional impactDivisive55

deeply moving for some, fails to connect for others

EndingDivisive45

satisfyingly wraps metaphor for fans, abrupt and confusing for detractors

Plot and storyDivisive40

underdeveloped, feels padded from a short film

CharactersDivisive35

lack depth and backstory, remain two-dimensional

PacingDivisive30

slow meandering first hour, last 11 minutes redeem

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Cleanse like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something light and easy.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you thinking. 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

Moods
AbsurdTense
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Whimsical · 2% of filmsTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film blends earnest emotional themes with a bizarre, almost absurdist premise, treating its metaphor of purging inner demons with a mix of sincerity and darkly comic detachment.
The rideThe tone is light and strange with mild tension as the characters discover the monsters, keeping a moderate emotional intensity.
StructureThe film follows a conventional chronological narrative: protagonist arrives at the retreat, undergoes the cleanse process, and deals with the consequences.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer reflecting on the metaphor of confronting one's inner demons, with a lingering sense of unresolved emotional weight.
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

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

Why this archetypeThe story follows a heartbroken man attending a spiritual retreat to fix his broken life, where he and another lost soul confront their emotional baggage manifested as creatures, suggesting a journey of recovery and self-confrontation.

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 filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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

Romantic love · 15% of filmsTrauma · 7% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeA heartbroken man seeks to heal from a breakup and rebuild his sense of value, while finding connection with another lost soul.
StanceThe film questions how people handle emotional pain, using the absurd conceit of literal inner demons to explore personal healing.

The world

ContemporaryRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingA remote spiritual retreat center in the countryside
MusicMultiple credited composers suggest a collaborative score for this small film.

Content guide

Is The Cleanse okay for kids?

R

The Cleanse is rated R.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Netherlands16
  • Poland18
  • Russia18+
  • Sweden15

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does The Cleanse have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Cleanse?

Cast

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

Johnny Galecki
as Paul
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.
Anna Friel
as Maggie
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anjelica Huston
as Lily
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.
Kyle Gallner
as Eric
Oliver Platt
as Ken Roberts
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Kevin J. O'Connor
as Fredericks
Diana Bang
as Laurie
Loretta Walsh
as Jill
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
David James Lewis
as Terry
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Mark Acheson
as Zatik

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Cleanse?

Movies like The Cleanse include Tragedy Girls (2017), The Revenant (2009) and Justice League vs. The Fatal Five (2019). Of the 4 closest matches, half are fantasy films, and all are stories about buddy duos.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Cleanse?

11K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: buddy duo. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.