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This Is Martin Bonner

This Is Martin Bonner

Sometimes You Have to Lose Your Life in Order to Find It

201383 minRMidcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Director
Chad Hartigan
Starring
Paul Eenhoorn, Richmond Arquette, Sam Buchanan, Robert Longstreet

Martin Bonner has just moved to Nevada from the East Coast, leaving behind his two adult children and a life he spent more than two decades building. He's there working a new job as the volunteer coordinator for a non-profit organization that helps prisoners make the transition from incarceration to freedom.

Where to watch

Where can I watch This Is Martin Bonner?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists This Is Martin Bonner to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about This Is Martin Bonner?

This Is Martin Bonner earns 6 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is This Is Martin Bonner worth watching?

This Is Martin Bonner's Midcredits score is the 60th percentile of all films, from 2.3K ratings across 6 sources. 53% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

60th percentile

Better received than 60% of films

60th percentile among Drama60th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)62nd
Approval (how many liked it)56th

65 /100

62nd percentile of all films

63rd percentile among Drama62nd percentile among 2010s

Critics 71 · Audience 64

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

53% liked it

56th percentile of all films

55th percentile among Drama56th percentile among 2010s
53% rated it 7–1047% rated it 1–6

Critics 97% · Audience 69%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 7 wins / 5 noms overall

61st percentile

2.3K ratings across platforms

64th percentile among Drama64th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 2% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$42K
Domestic gross$14K
Worldwide gross$14K

Returned 0.3× its budget — 15th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps recognize the film as a slow, contemplative character study with strong lead performances and subdued visual style.

Fans praised

  • naturalistic acting in both leads
  • quiet realism and small observed moments
  • understated cinematography mirrors loneliness

Detractors panned

  • shallow, unengaging characters
  • overlong awkward scenes
  • preachy agenda over story

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

superb naturalistic performances from Eenhoorn and Arquette

CinematographyDivisive75

evocative framing and 360-degree pan

AtmosphereDivisive75

lonely Nevada desert mood, impersonal city

Emotional impactDivisive70

moving ode to quiet lives

Dialogue70

sparse and naturalistic, subtext-driven

CharactersDivisive60

well-realized but Travis underdeveloped compared to Martin

PacingDivisive50

slow-moving but never dull to some, awkwardly long to others

Plot and storyDivisive50

minimalist slice-of-life with loose strands

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 10 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is This Is Martin Bonner like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. 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

Feel-good.

Moods
ContemplativeMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film observes its characters with quiet, compassionate attention, never mocking or pushing their emotions.
The rideThe film maintains a quiet, observational register with low emotional swings, leaning into melancholy and contemplation, with the heaviest emotional weight arriving when trust is tested near the end.
StructureEvents unfold chronologically across a few days, following both men before their paths cross.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film’s quiet resolutions leave a gentle optimism tempered by the loneliness that preceded it.
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).RebirthHealing
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% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeTwo men navigating new lives after major upheavals—Martin after bankruptcy and job loss, Travis after prison—find unexpected support in each other.

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% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · 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% (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%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Isolation · 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 explores the quiet, tentative bond between two isolated men navigating new lives, and how that bond offers a form of secular redemption.
StanceThe film presents the men's bond without preaching, neutrally observing their quiet exchanges and shared loneliness, letting the audience draw their own conclusions.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Keegan DeWitt
SettingReno, Nevada; a nondescript landscape of motels, churches, and strip malls
MusicThe score is likely understated and evocative, matching the film's patient, minimalist mood.

Content guide

Is This Is Martin Bonner okay for kids?

R

This Is Martin Bonner is rated R.

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does This Is Martin Bonner have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in This Is Martin Bonner?

Cast

Paul Eenhoorn
as Martin Bonner
Richmond Arquette
as Travis Holloway
Sam Buchanan
as Diana Holloway
Robert Longstreet
as Steve Helms
Kristin Slaysman
as April
Demetrius A. Grosse
as Locy
Tom Plunkett
as Supervisor
Moira Price
as Cheryl
Allie Braun
as Lacy
Tom Jacobs
as Max

Crew

More like this

What are movies like This Is Martin Bonner?

Movies like This Is Martin Bonner include Camp X-Ray (2014), Blindspotting (2018) and On the Edge (2001). Of the 4 closest matches, all are stories of healing, and most are films set inside an institution.

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

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What else shares a premise, people or place with This Is Martin Bonner?

11K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: buddy duo. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.