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The Laureate

The Laureate

In the Roaring Twenties they rewrote the rules.

2021104 minRMidcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Director
William Nunez
Starring
Tom Hughes, Dianna Agron, Laura Haddock, Fra Fee

Set against the glamorous backdrop of Britain's roaring '20s, The Laureate tells the story of young British War Poet Robert Graves, who is married with four children when he meets and becomes romantically involved with Laura Riding, a writer from America. Defying the conventions of polite society, Riding moves in with Graves and his wife living as a menage a tois. Then with the arrival of strappingly handsome Irish poet Geoffrey Phibbs, the arrangement becomes a menage a quatre. But soon tensions and rivalries become so fraught that Graves is a suspect for attempted murder.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Laureate?

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

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Highlights

What stands out about The Laureate?

The Laureate earns 2 badges, led by Cult Classic and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Laureate worth watching?

The Laureate's Midcredits score is the 25th percentile of all films, from 1.4K ratings across 5 sources. 32% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

25th percentile

Better received than 25% of films

20th percentile among Drama26th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)26th

54 /100

26th percentile of all films

22nd percentile among Drama29th percentile among 2020s

Critics 50 · Audience 54

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

32% liked it

26th percentile of all films

21st percentile among Drama27th percentile among 2020s
32% rated it 7–1068% rated it 1–6

Critics 45% · Audience 90%

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

Awards

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

53rd percentile

1.4K ratings across platforms

56th percentile among Drama51st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$2.2K

4th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A handsome, solid biopic of Robert Graves' unconventional ménage-à-trois that feels constrained by its runtime.

Fans praised

  • strong period detail and cinematography
  • performances capture intriguing character dynamics
  • offers a thoughtful introduction to Graves' life

Detractors panned

  • lack of emotional heat or erotic charge
  • plot feels rushed and thin for the story
  • dialogue heavy and self-indulgent

What stands out

Cinematography75

handsome period detail and beautiful sets

ActingDivisive65

adequate leads but uneven; Haddock praised as the heart

Atmosphere65

sterile at times, but transports to early 20th century

OriginalityDivisive60

fresh take on biopic format with racier elements

Characters55

intriguing but underexplored; Riding's madness lacks foreshadowing

Plot and story50

standard structure, feels rushed and unfocused

Pacing40

slow, feels overstuffed for a film

Emotional impactDivisive40

lacks passion and true feeling

Watch experience

What is The Laureate like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, swings between moods 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

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseRomanticBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its torrid literary history straight, treating the characters' entanglements with earnest gravity, though the period setting lends a heightened, romanticised air.
The rideThe film shifts from hopeful romance into escalating rivalry and betrayal, with the heaviest emotional weight arriving in the later act as the attempted murder unfolds.
StructureThe story follows a conventional beginning-middle-end structure, tracing the escalation of the household's tensions over time.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the melancholy aftermath of a shattered household and a lingering discomfort with the emotional manipulation at its core.
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).Tragedy
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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% (this title) · 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%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

9% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe central arc is a poet's descent into a destructive ménage à quatre, where romantic obsession and rivalry lead to a breakdown that nearly ends in murder.

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% (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% (this title) · 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%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of filmsIdentity · 14% 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 themeThe film centers on the transformative and destructive power of an unconventional romantic arrangement among poets, with love bleeding into rivalry and betrayal.
StanceThe film examines the ideals behind the unconventional arrangement and questions whether such openness can survive jealousy and rivalry, without settling the answer.

The world

Early 20th centuryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Brian Byrne
SettingBritain's roaring '20s, among poets and their households
MusicThe score likely underscores the period glamour and the emotional intensity of the entanglements.

Content guide

Is The Laureate okay for kids?

R

The Laureate is rated R: “Rated R for sexual content, nudity and language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at moderate (40/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • UK15
  • Ireland15
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 36%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (20 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 Laureate have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Laureate?

Cast

Tom Hughes
as Robert Graves
Dianna Agron
as Laura Riding
Laura Haddock
as Nancy Nicholson
Fra Fee
as Geoffrey Phibbs
Patricia Hodge
as Amy Graves
Julian Glover
as Alfred Graves
Indica Watson
as Catherine Nicholson
Timothy Renouf
as Siegfried Sassoon
Christien Anholt
as T. S. Eliot
Edwin Thomas
as Edmund Blunden

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Laureate?

Movies like The Laureate include Prick Up Your Ears (1987), Those People (2015) and Frida (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories of toxic codependency, and half are films set in London.

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

7 of these 12 share its story type: obsession. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: love triangle. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.