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The Informer

The Informer

Choose your enemies wisely.

2019113 minRMidcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Director
Andrea Di Stefano
Starring
Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Common, Ana de Armas

In New York, former convict Pete Koslow, related to the Polish mafia, must deal with both Klimek the General, his ruthless boss, and the twisted ambitions of two federal agents, as he tries to survive and protect the lives of his loved ones.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Informer?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Informer?

The Informer earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Hopeful.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Informer worth watching?

The Informer's Midcredits score is the 66th percentile of all films, from 74K ratings across 6 sources. 60% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

66th percentile

Better received than 66% of films

79th percentile among Action66th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)63rd
Approval (how many liked it)66th

65 /100

63rd percentile of all films

78th percentile among Action63rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 61 · Audience 65

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

60% liked it

66th percentile of all films

77th percentile among Action66th percentile among 2010s
60% rated it 7–1040% rated it 1–6

Critics 63% · Audience 61%

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

96th percentile

74K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Action96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$60M
Opening weekend$133K
Domestic gross$300K
Worldwide gross$2.9M

Returned 0.0× its budget — 45th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A gritty, tense crime drama focused on character and story over spectacle, held together by a strong lead performance from Joel Kinnaman.

Fans praised

  • Kinnaman's lead performance carries the film
  • Gritty, tense crime drama with real tension and suspense
  • Satisfying resolution that wraps the story well

Detractors panned

  • Ending feels cut short and unsatisfactory
  • Crammed plot leaves characters underdeveloped
  • Pacing drags in the middle and action is sparse despite trailers

What stands out

Acting75

Kinnaman's lead performance praised; supporting cast solid but underused

Tension75

Tense and gripping throughout

Atmosphere75

Gritty, dark underworld tone

Cinematography65

Gritty, authentic visuals with good locations

Plot and story60

Story has twists but cut short and predictable in places

CharactersDivisive60

Characters feel well-thought-out but some lack depth

Pacing55

Relentless in parts but drags in the middle

Ending45

Ending feels cut short and unsatisfying to some

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Informer like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you hopeful.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its grim undercover narrative straight, with no irony or self-awareness.
The rideThe film sustains a high-pressure, anxious atmosphere, with the emotional load building toward the climax as the protagonist's cover is increasingly threatened.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically as Pete Koslow navigates his double life and the dangers of prison, following a conventional beginning-middle-end structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe bleak prison environment gives way to a slim possibility of escape and family reunion, leaving a hopeful yet bittersweet aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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).QuestMission
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · 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%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeAn ex-con intentionally gets himself re-incarcerated to infiltrate the mob for the FBI, fitting the mission subtype of a quest. The story also involves uncovering corruption.

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 filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · 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%: Survival 17% (this title) · 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%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of filmsSurvival
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates how a man's sense of self is strained when he must maintain a false persona under constant threat, and where his loyalties truly lie when his cover is endangered.
StanceThe film questions the cost of sacrificing one's identity and integrity for a larger cause, without offering a clear moral verdict.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
AmbientElectronicSupportive music · original score
Settinga maximum-security federal prison and the surrounding city

Content guide

Is The Informer okay for kids?

R

The Informer is rated R: “Rated R for strong violence and pervasive language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (85/100), sexual content at mild (18/100), language at severe (84/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (52/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 72% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland16
  • JapanG
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-16
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/14
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan15
  • UA16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 83% of all filmsHeavier than 72% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 74%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 11%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 80%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 66%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%

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

The reason to think twice is violence, language, and frightening material. 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 The Informer have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Informer?

Cast

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

Joel Kinnaman
as Pete Koslow
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.
Rosamund Pike
as Wilcox
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.
Common
as Grens
Ana de Armas
as Sofia
Clive Owen
as Montgomery
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.
Sam Spruell
as Slewitt
Ruth Bradley
as Cat
Eugene Lipinski
as Klimek 'The General'
Martin McCann
as Riley
Mateusz Kosciukiewicz
as Stazek

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Informer?

Movies like The Informer include Lansky (2021), Kiss of Death (1995) and Avengement (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about gangsters, and several are films set inside an institution.

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

8 of these 12 share its world: prison. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

682 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: prison drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.