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Unplugging

Unplugging

202294 minRMidcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
Director
Debra Neil-Fisher
Starring
Eva Longoria, Matt Walsh, Keith David, Lea Thompson

Think a rustic getaway with no cell service, Internet or social media is a romantic way to repair your marriage and sex life? Think again. Meet Dan and Jeanine Dewerson. The only spark in their bedroom is from the wall socket. Their daughter's best friend is her iPad. Dan's not going to take it anymore and plans a quiet, relaxing weekend in a remote mountain town. No kids, no phones, no social media, only clean fresh air and lots of romance. But what starts as the perfect weekend quickly becomes disastrous with unearthly encounters, strong edibles, and cranky odd locals. Without GPS to guide them or social media to stave off their boredom, Dan and Jeanine are forced to reconnect with each other. Can a "digital detox" really save their marriage and their sanity?

Where to watch

Where can I watch Unplugging?

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

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Free

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Unplugging?

Unplugging earns 2 badges, led by Overhyped and Universally Panned.

Reception

Is Unplugging worth watching?

Unplugging's Midcredits score is the 12th percentile of all films, from 2.6K ratings across 4 sources. 15% 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

11th percentile among Comedy13th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)3rd

53 /100

25th percentile of all films

25th percentile among Comedy27th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

15% liked it

3rd percentile of all films

2nd percentile among Comedy5th percentile among 2020s
15% rated it 7–1085% rated it 1–6

Critics 14% · Audience 31%

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

Reach

How many have seen it

77th percentile

2.6K ratings across platforms

74th percentile among Comedy77th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 1% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$21K
Domestic gross$21K
Worldwide gross$53K

18th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film attempts a lightweight, well-meaning message about digital detox but suffers from a flimsy, uneven execution.

Fans praised

  • Funny, committed performances from Eva Longoria and Matt Walsh
  • Relatable message about stepping away from technology to reconnect
  • Enjoyable as a light, silly family comedy with a good heart

Detractors panned

  • Unfunny, with jokes that land with dull thuds
  • Flat, unconvincing lead chemistry between Longoria and Walsh
  • Aimless, sluggish plot that never finds momentum

What stands out

ActingDivisive55

Longoria and Walsh are game but lack believable chemistry; supporting cast underused

Emotional impactDivisive45

Message about reconnecting has heart but falls flat for most

OriginalityDivisive40

Familiar digital-detox premise with little new insight

CharactersDivisive35

Thin, unsympathetic leads; only Sheriff Margaret gets some color

Plot and storyDivisive30

Aimless road-trip premise that never becomes a real story

DialogueDivisive30

Script falls short; awkward, unfunny lines and tonal whiplash

HumorDivisive25

Attempted slapstick and comedy of errors consistently fail to land

PacingDivisive25

Sluggish, with long stretches of filler and awkward silences

Preferred by

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

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Unplugging 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
AbsurdJoyful
Heaviest: throughout
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
PlayfulAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material at a light, playful distance, presenting the couple's misadventures as broad comedy rather than serious drama.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently light and absurd comic register from beginning to end, with no particularly heavy moments.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly over a weekend, with a clear beginning (departure), middle (increasingly bizarre events), and end (resolution).

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayA lighthearted, undemanding comedy that aims to leave the viewer entertained and amused, though execution may be uneven.
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).ComedyFarce
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% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

11% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeA married couple's attempt at a digital detox weekend in a remote town turns into a series of absurd misadventures with eccentric locals and mishaps, framed as a comedy of escalating chaos.

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 filmsSelfMarriageBonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% (this title) · 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% · 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% · 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% (this title)

Bonds

Marriage · 2% of filmsIsolation · 5% of filmsTechnology · 1% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a couple's attempt to repair their stale marriage by forcibly disconnecting from technology, exploring how digital habits erode intimacy.
StanceThe film questions whether a digital detox can repair a marriage, offering comic skepticism toward the premise while remaining ultimately affectionate.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Leo Birenberg
Settinga remote mountain town with no cell service
MusicThe score likely uses light, playful orchestration to underscore the comedic misadventures.

Content guide

Is Unplugging okay for kids?

R

Unplugging is rated R.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • FranceTP
  • New ZealandM

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Unplugging have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Unplugging?

Cast

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

Eva Longoria
as Jeanine
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Matt Walsh
as Dan
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Keith David
as Gil
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.
Lea Thompson
as Perkins
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Nicole Byer
as Sheriff Margaret
Joel Kim Booster
as Phil
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Johnny Pemberton
as Tim
Hala Finley
as Elizabeth
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Al Madrigal
as Juan
Nancy Friedrich
as Stephanie

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Unplugging?

Movies like Unplugging include You, Me and Dupree (2006), Hall Pass (2011) and The Babymakers (2012). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in a small town, and most are farces.

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

10 of these 12 share its subject: marriage. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Unplugging?

5.2K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: marriage in crisis. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.