Skip to content
MovieCove
The Deal

The Deal

2005107 minRMidcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
Director
Harvey Kahn
Starring
Christian Slater, Selma Blair, Robert Loggia, Colm Feore

A political thriller steeped in illegal oil trading, the Russian Mafia, and governmental cover-ups.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Deal?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Deal streaming on Tubi (free).

Subscription

Free

Your rating, lists and review

Reception

Is The Deal worth watching?

The Deal's Midcredits score is the 12th percentile of all films, from 3.1K ratings across 5 sources. 20% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

12th percentile

Better received than 12% of films

9th percentile among Crime12th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)18th
Approval (how many liked it)9th

50 /100

18th percentile of all films

15th percentile among Crime18th percentile among 2000s

Critics 46 · Audience 51

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

20% liked it

9th percentile of all films

6th percentile among Crime8th percentile among 2000s
20% rated it 7–1080% rated it 1–6

Critics 22% · Audience 17%

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

Reach

How many have seen it

71st percentile

3.1K ratings across platforms

64th percentile among Crime63rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 83% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$40K

19th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A topical oil-industry conspiracy thriller with a solid cast that was poorly executed.

Fans praised

  • prescient oil-conspiracy thriller that feels more relevant years later
  • solid cast led by Christian Slater and Selma Blair, with strong support from Robert Loggia and Colm Feore
  • fast-moving story with spy-movie vibes and a twist ending

Detractors panned

  • confused, first-draft screenplay with awful dialogue and stereotypical characters
  • TV-movie production values, weak direction, and forgettable pacing
  • embarrassing Russian accents, particularly from Angie Harmon

What stands out

ActingDivisive50

Christian Slater solid but miscast; Selma Blair praised by fans but called stiff by detractors

OriginalityDivisive45

topical oil-conspiracy idea but derivative Wall Street thriller tropes

AtmosphereDivisive45

corporate and geopolitical backdrop feels low-rent and unconvincing

Plot and storyDivisive40

timely oil-conspiracy premise let down by muddled, routine execution

PacingDivisive35

slow and muddled start, fails to build momentum

Characters30

flat stereotypes with no development or depth

TensionDivisive30

fails to deliver thrills despite setup

Dialogue25

stilted, awkward exposition and silly lines

Preferred by

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

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Deal like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something to think about afterwards.

It is intense, 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

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseCold
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cynical · 1% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its conspiracy material straight and sincere, aiming for serious thriller stakes without much irony or stylistic distance.
The rideThe film maintains a tense, suspicious atmosphere as Tom uncovers layers of conspiracy, with moments of dread and danger.
StructureThe film follows a conventional three-act structure: Tom gets the deal, investigates its dark secrets, and faces the consequences in a climactic testimony.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering sense of cynicism about corporate and political ethics, prompting reflection on the compromises made in the name of profit and national interest.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

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).Mystery
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% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

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

Why this archetypeThe story follows Tom's investigation into the source of Black Star's oil, the truth behind Richard's death, and the conspiracy surrounding the deal, driven by the question of what is really happening.

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 filmsSelfDeception
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% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • 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%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsCorruption · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeTom discovers that the entire deal is built on a web of lies, cover-ups, and moral compromises involving oil, murder, and government collusion.
StanceThe film portrays the corruption and moral decay within high-stakes finance and government as a dangerous force that prioritizes profit over ethics and human life.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Christopher Lennertz
SettingWall Street boardrooms and offices against a backdrop of a fuel crisis and war
MusicThe score is one of the few elements praised by critics, providing a professional veneer to the thriller.

Content guide

Is The Deal okay for kids?

R

The Deal is rated R: “Rated R for language and some violence” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (83/100), sexual content at minimal (11/100) and language at moderate (50/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Intense · 3 of 5 categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (7 votes across 3 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 Deal have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Deal?

Cast

Christian Slater
as Tom Hanson
Selma Blair
as Abbey Gallagher
Robert Loggia
as Jared Tolson
Colm Feore
as Hank Weiss
Angie Harmon
as Anna
John Heard
as Professor Roseman
Kevin Tighe
as John Cortland
Philip Granger
as Jerome Halliday
Françoise Yip
as Janice Long
Jim Thorburn
as Shane Waller

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Deal?

Movies like The Deal include The Interpreter (2005), The International (2009) and The Ghost Writer (2010). Of the 12 closest matches, half are films about high finance, and most are films about corruption.

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

11 of these 12 share its story type: conspiracy thriller. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

980 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: conspiracy thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.