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The Dead Girl

The Dead Girl

One life ends. Seven others begin.

200685 minRMidcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Director
Karen Moncrieff
Starring
Brittany Murphy, Rose Byrne, Toni Collette, Marcia Gay Harden

The clues to a young woman's death come together as the lives of seemingly unrelated women begin to intersect.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Dead Girl?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Dead Girl streaming on AMC+, Shout! TV via The Roku Channel, Sundance Now via Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Dead Girl?

The Dead Girl earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Atmospheric.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Dead Girl worth watching?

The Dead Girl's Midcredits score is the 61st percentile of all films, from 23K ratings across 6 sources. 58% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

61st percentile

Better received than 61% of films

63rd percentile among Crime59th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)58th
Approval (how many liked it)63rd

64 /100

58th percentile of all films

61st percentile among Crime58th percentile among 2000s

Critics 65 · Audience 64

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

58% liked it

63rd percentile of all films

64th percentile among Crime61st percentile among 2000s
58% rated it 7–1042% rated it 1–6

Critics 75% · Audience 65%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 4 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

89th percentile

23K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Crime82nd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$6.6K
Domestic gross$20K
Worldwide gross$905K

49th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

An episodic drama driven by strong performances about women affected by a murder, not a conventional thriller.

Fans praised

  • Powerful ensemble performances, especially Collette, Harden, and Murphy
  • Haunting, atmospheric storytelling that avoids sensationalism
  • Emotionally resonant portrayal of damaged women finding liberation

Detractors panned

  • Fragmented structure weakens narrative cohesion and resolution
  • Relentlessly bleak and depressing tone with little payoff
  • Melodramatic or pretentious execution of feminist themes

What stands out

Acting85

Flawless ensemble performances across all camps

Atmosphere80

Uniformly bleak, haunting, and immersive tone

Emotional impactDivisive75

Powerfully sad, gut-wrenching for fans; depressing for detractors

Cinematography75

Lush yet raw visuals, strong color and light contrast

CharactersDivisive70

Depth in damaged female characters, some clichés

OriginalityDivisive65

Fresh angle on serial killer aftermath, but derivative structure

Plot and storyDivisive55

Fragmented anthology structure, weak resolution

EndingDivisive40

Unresolved, anticlimactic for many viewers

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Dead Girl like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you haunted. 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

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicTenseBittersweetContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Chaptered · 1% of films: Told in titled chapters or clearly separate parts.
ToneThe film treats its tragic subject with grave respect and empathy, never mocking or undercutting the pain.
The rideThe film sustains a consistently heavy, melancholic tension across all five stories, with moments of tenderness and hope that never fully lift the overall weight; the emotional pressure is distributed evenly.
StructureTold in five titled chapters, with the victim's final day revealed last, creating a nonlinear structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's quiet, grim portrayal of loss and resilience stays with you, leaving a lingering ache.
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).
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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThe film is an anthology of five loosely connected stories about women affected by a murder, without a single protagonist-driven plot that fits a standard archetype.

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 filmsSelfGriefSurvival
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%: 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% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · 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%

Survival

Grief · 6% of filmsIsolation · 5% of filmsTrauma · 7% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeEach character navigates a profound loss—a missing sister, a murdered daughter, a wasted life—and the film examines how grief isolates people and how past trauma shapes their present.
StanceThe film mourns the losses its characters carry—the vanished sister, the murdered daughter, the wasted potential—without offering easy redemption or judgment.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Adam Gorgoni
SettingA small roadside town in California, with motels, storage units, and dusty highways
MusicAdam Gorgoni's score is spare and mournful, often using piano and strings to underscore the emotional isolation of each character.

Content guide

Is The Dead Girl okay for kids?

R

The Dead Girl is rated R: “Rated R for language, grisly images and sexuality/nudity” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (54/100), sexual content at moderate (52/100), language at intense (72/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (25/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany16
  • South Korea19
  • PortugalM/16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (52 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 The Dead Girl have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Dead Girl?

Cast

Brittany Murphy
as Krista
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.
Rose Byrne
as Leah
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Toni Collette
as Arden
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Marcia Gay Harden
as Melora
Mary Beth Hurt
as Ruth
Piper Laurie
as Arden's Mother
Kerry Washington
as Rosetta
Josh Brolin
as Tarlow
James Franco
as Derek
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Giovanni Ribisi
as Rudy
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Dead Girl?

Movies like The Dead Girl include The Trials of Cate McCall (2013), The Onion Field (1979) and Moonlight (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, most are crime films, and most are films that feel melancholic.

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

7 of these 12 share its world: Los Angeles. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.