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Welcome to Marwen

Welcome to Marwen

You can't put this hero in a box.

2018116 minPG-13Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Director
Robert Zemeckis
Starring
Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monáe

When a devastating attack shatters Mark Hogancamp and wipes away all memories, no one expected recovery. Putting together pieces from his old and new life, Mark meticulously creates a wondrous town named Marwen where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation — a testament to the most powerful women he knows — through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Welcome to Marwen?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Welcome to Marwen streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Welcome to Marwen?

Welcome to Marwen earns 9 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Award Winner.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Welcome to Marwen worth watching?

Welcome to Marwen's Midcredits score is the 47th percentile of all films, from 69K ratings across 6 sources. 48% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

47th percentile

Better received than 47% of films

22nd percentile among Biography47th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)45th
Approval (how many liked it)49th

60 /100

45th percentile of all films

22nd percentile among Biography46th percentile among 2010s

Critics 40 · Audience 62

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

48% liked it

49th percentile of all films

24th percentile among Biography49th percentile among 2010s
48% rated it 7–1052% rated it 1–6

Critics 33% · Audience 48%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 8 noms overall

95th percentile

69K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Biography95th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$39M
Opening weekend$2.4M
Domestic gross$11M
Worldwide gross$13M

Returned 0.3× its budget — 72nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is visually creative and features a committed Steve Carell performance, but they differ on whether the story and emotional impact match the spectacle.

Fans praised

  • Heartfelt Steve Carell performance as a trauma survivor
  • Vivid fantasy doll-world action and motion-capture effects
  • Unique, creative blend of real life and fantasy

Detractors panned

  • Clichéd dialogue and wooden acting from supporting cast
  • Fails to convey the emotional message or character depth
  • Fantasy sequences feel empty and repetitive

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Carell praised as heartfelt; some call supporting cast wooden

Originality75

Unique concept but not fully original; creative premise

Effects and spectacle75

Motion-capture doll action vivid and entertaining; some VFX choices off

Atmosphere60

Immersive fantasy world; real-world tone uneven

Emotional impactDivisive50

Moving for some; others feel no impact or insight

CharactersDivisive45

Protagonist's inner life underdeveloped; neighbors charming but shallow

Pacing45

Slow and sedate; fantasy sequences add momentum but get repetitive

Plot and storyDivisive40

Thin real-world stakes; fantasy and real plots don't converge

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 16 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Welcome to Marwen like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
MelancholicContemplativeHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its emotional material straight and sincere, treating Mark's trauma and recovery with genuine gravity even as it presents the doll-world sequences with a touch of whimsy.
The rideSustained melancholic and contemplative tone from trauma, with occasional hopeful uplift, especially toward the end.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional three-act structure, alternating between Mark's real-world home and yard and his fantasy village, which effectively serves as a second location.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you believing Mark can heal through art and community, even as it acknowledges the permanent cost of his trauma and the unreturned love for Nicol.
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

with Voyage and return underneath

Why this archetypeAfter a brutal assault leaves him traumatized, Mark Hogancamp rebuilds his life and identity through his miniature WWII village; the film follows his slow recovery and return to the courtroom, making it a rebirth story driven by healing.

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 filmsSelfTraumaSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · 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% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · 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%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on how Mark copes with the psychological aftermath of a violent hate crime, rebuilding a sense of self and finding support through the women around him.
StanceThe film observes Mark's journey of healing without moralising, focusing on his personal struggle and the role of art and community.

The world

Early 21st centuryDomesticSuburbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Alan Silvestri
SettingUpstate New York small town, intercut with the WWII fantasy village of Marwen
MusicSilvestri's score blends heroic fantasy motifs with tender, melancholic themes, mirroring Mark's dual worlds.

Content guide

Is Welcome to Marwen okay for kids?

PG-13

Welcome to Marwen is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence, some disturbing images, brief suggestive content, thematic material and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (53/100), sexual content at moderate (41/100), language at mild (34/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at moderate (41/100). Overall it is heavier than 48% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • Austria12
  • Denmark11
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland12
  • RO12
  • Spain7
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 31% of all filmsHeavier than 48% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 57%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 76%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 30%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 77%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 44%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 57% of PG-13-rated films.

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 Welcome to Marwen have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Welcome to Marwen?

Cast

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

Steve Carell
as Mark Hogancamp
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.
Leslie Mann
as Nicol
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.
Merritt Wever
as Roberta
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Janelle Monáe
as GI Julie
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Diane Kruger
as Deja Thoris
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.
Falk Hentschel
as Captain Topf
Eiza González
as Carlala
newcomer then · star now
Gwendoline Christie
as Anna
Stefanie von Pfetten
as Wendy
Leslie Zemeckis
as Suzette

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Welcome to Marwen?

Movies like Welcome to Marwen include Here (2024), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and Last Flag Flying (2017). Of the 11 closest matches, most are stories of healing, and most are films set in the early 21st century.

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

7 of these 11 share its feel: tender. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Welcome to Marwen?

972 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: unrequited love. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.