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Paul Schrader

Paul Schrader

Writer and director, also producer and actor · Born July 22, 1946 (80) · Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 6 other major award bodies

Paul Joseph Schrader (/ˈʃreɪdər/; born July 22, 1946) is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. He first became known for writing the screenplay of Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976). He later continued his collaboration with Scorsese, writing or co-writing Raging Bull (1980), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Bringing Out the Dead (1999). Schrader has also worked extensively as a director: his 23 films include Blue Collar (1978), Hardcore (1979), American Gigolo (1980), Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985), Light Sleeper (1992), Affliction (1997), and First Reformed (2017), with the last of these earning him his first Academy Award nomination. Schrader's work frequently depicts "man in a room" stories which feature isolated, troubled men confronting an existential crisis. Raised in a strict Calvinist family, Schrader attended Calvin College before pursuing film studies at UCLA on the encouragement of film critic Pauline Kael. He then worked as a film scholar and critic, publishing the book Transcendental Style in Film: Ozu, Bresson, Dreyer (1972) before transitioning to screenwriting in 1974. The success of Taxi Driver in 1976 brought greater attention to his work, and Schrader began directing his own films, beginning with Blue Collar (co-written with his brother, Leonard Schrader). Schrader has described three of his recent films as a loose trilogy: First Reformed (2017), The Card Counter (2021), and Master Gardener (2022). Description above from the Wikipedia article Paul Schrader, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 22, 1946 (80)
From
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Works as
Writer and director, also producer and actor
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 47 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 12% in 30 days

What are Paul Schrader's films like?

Across their 42 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Morality
25%
Survival
17%
Bonds
11%
Society
8%
Power
6%
Ideas
6%
Obsession9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption8 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt6 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 40 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 5 · Serious 5 · Dark 30

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 19 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 16 · Intense 20

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 14 · Shifting 22 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 34 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 29 · Full focus 7

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 6 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 27

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 22 · Ambiguous 7

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
32
Melancholic
21
Dread
16
Contemplative
14
Warm
5
Other
23

How their films linger

Thought-provoking23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Bittersweet28
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous9

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Paul Schrader's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Schrader's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

47 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page; 44 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Basics of Philosophy(2026)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Vulcanizadora(2024)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Oh, Canada(2024)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Master Gardener(2022)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • American Gigolo(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Characters · Executive Consultant

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • There Are No Saints(2022)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • The Card Counter(2021)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Paul Schrader: Man in a Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Thanks · as Self

  • First Reformed(2017)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Dog Eat Dog(2016)

    Director · as El Greco

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • American Johns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Thanks

  • Dying of the Light(2014)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Venice 70: Future Reloaded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · as Self (segment Paul Schrader)

  • The Canyons(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Walk of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Thanks

  • Adam Resurrected(2008)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Walker(2007)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist(2005)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Auto Focus(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Bringing Out the Dead(1999)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Forever Mine(1999)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Affliction(1997)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Touch(1997)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • City Hall(1996)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Untitled: New Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Writer · as Himself (uncredited)

  • Witch Hunt(1994)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Light Sleeper(1992)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Comfort of Strangers(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Patty Hearst(1988)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Last Temptation of Christ(1988)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Light of Day(1987)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Mosquito Coast(1986)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters(1985)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Cat People(1982)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Raging Bull(1980)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • American Gigolo(1980)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Old Boyfriends(1979)

    Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Hardcore(1979)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Blue Collar(1978)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Rolling Thunder(1977)

    Original Story · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Obsession(1976)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Taxi Driver(1976)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Yakuza(1974)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Amber Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

  • Bait (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

  • Life from the Other Side (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

  • Non Compos Mentis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 47 titles, 43 of them dated from 1974 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Taxi Driver (1976)

$29M worldwide

Highest rated

Taxi Driver (1976)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 47: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting28 of 47: 8 only directing, 20 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thWriting34 of 47: 12 only writing, 22 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thProducing2 of 47: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew5 of 47: 4 only other crew, 1 with another role

47 titles, 23 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 19 of them.

By decade

1970s7 · crew1980s8 · crew1990s9 · crew2000s4 · crew2010s7 · 1 acting · 7 crew2020s8 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

5 major awards from 23 major nominations, 1977–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Cannes award, nominated
  2. 2022
    • Venice award, won
  3. 2021
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  4. 2019
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Original Screenplay
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 2 nominations
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Original Screenplay
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
  5. 2017
    • Venice award, won
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  6. 1999
    • Writers Guild Award, won
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
  7. 1998
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
  8. 1993
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
Show 6 earlier years
  1. 1992
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  2. 1988
    • Cannes award, nominated
  3. 1985
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  4. 1981
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
  5. 1979
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  6. 1977
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Paul Schrader's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 37; across their 39 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Reach · how many have seen their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 38 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · writer, producer

There Are No Saints (2022)

71st percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Taxi Driver (1976)

Midcredits 99th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 54/100 and the plot and story 46/100 in their films, across 38 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Paul Schrader's work okay for kids?

Across up to 28 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore21 titles49–85 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity28 titles15–73 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity21 titles30–89 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs19 titles25–83 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense20 titles44–82 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Paul Schrader work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Schrader's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Willem Dafoe shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles