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The Man

The Man

One guy walks the walk. The other talks and talks. Only one of them can be…

200583 minPG-13Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Director
Les Mayfield
Starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Eugene Levy, Miguel Ferrer, Luke Goss

A case of mistaken identity forces a Federal agent and a dental supply salesman to team up as they speed through the streets of Detroit to pull off a sting operation and solve the murder of the agent's former partner.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Man?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Man streaming on Cinemax via Prime Video and HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Man?

The Man earns 8 badges, led by Overhyped and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Man worth watching?

The Man's Midcredits score is the 24th percentile of all films, from 39K ratings across 6 sources. 30% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

24th percentile

Better received than 24% of films

37th percentile among Action23rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)27th
Approval (how many liked it)23rd

54 /100

27th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Action27th percentile among 2000s

Critics 33 · Audience 56

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

30% liked it

23rd percentile of all films

36th percentile among Action20th percentile among 2000s
30% rated it 7–1070% rated it 1–6

Critics 12% · Audience 41%

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

Awards

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

89th percentile

39K ratings across platforms

81st percentile among Action82nd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$33M
Opening weekend$4M
Domestic gross$8.3M
Worldwide gross$13M

Returned 0.4× its budget — 62nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a predictable buddy comedy with strong lead performances but a weak script.

Fans praised

  • Jackson and Levy's comedic chemistry
  • funny, free-flowing plot
  • enjoyable buddy comedy despite clichés

Detractors panned

  • predictable, formulaic story
  • lack of chemistry between leads
  • juvenile humor and weak screenplay

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Jackson and Levy's performances praised, though some critics note Jackson overacts

HumorDivisive60

Jackson and Levy's banter yields laughs, but jokes often miss

DialogueDivisive55

Some funny lines, but often juvenile or forced

Characters50

Polar opposite archetypes, but written thinly

Pacing50

Occasionally drags, but moves along adequately

Emotional impact35

Buddy-bonding arc feels formulaic, flat

Plot and story30

Cookie-cutter, predictable buddy-cop formula

Originality20

Highly derivative of 48 Hrs., Lethal Weapon

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users even

Watch experience

What is The Man like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It is gentle and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

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

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays its buddy comedy premise straight with sincere performances while embracing broad, zany humor and crude gags.
The rideThe mood stays fairly consistent: absurd comic banter and mild chase tension, with no truly heavy or dark stretches.
StructureTold in a conventional linear sequence with a clear setup, confrontation, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayA light-hearted buddy comedy that leaves you amused and satisfied.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).Comedy
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% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Buddy comedy: A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).

11% of films fit this archetype

with Voyage and return underneath

Why this archetypeAn ordinary salesman is mistaken for a criminal and forced to partner with a gruff ATF agent, creating comedic situations as they pursue stolen guns.

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 filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · 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% (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

Friendship · 9% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the unlikely bond forced between a nervous dental-supply salesman and a hardened ATF agent, exploring how trust forms and is tested under pressure.
StanceThe film observes the forced friendship between the two leads without celebrating or satirizing it deeply; the stakes remain personal and small-scale.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · John Murphy
SettingMilwaukee and Detroit, modern-day
MusicJohn Murphy's score provides a light, comedic underpinning that matches the film's wry tone.

Content guide

Is The Man okay for kids?

PG-13

The Man is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for language, rude dialogue and some violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (44/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at severe (80/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • Brazil14
  • Greece13
  • PortugalM/12
  • SK12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Severe
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

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 Man have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Man?

Cast

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

Samuel L. Jackson
as Derrick Vann
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.
Eugene Levy
as Andy Fiddler
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Miguel Ferrer
as Agent Peters
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Luke Goss
as Joey Kane
Susie Essman
as Lt. Rita Carbone
Anthony Mackie
as Booty
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Gigi Rice
as Susan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rachael Crawford
as Dara Vann
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Philip Akin
as Second I.A. Agent
Christopher Murray
as Homeless Man

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Man?

Movies like The Man include Running Scared (1986), K-9 (1989) and Let's Go to Prison (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Les Mayfield, and half are stories about cops.

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

All 12 share its story type: buddy comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: action comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.