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Allison Anders

Allison Anders

Director, writer and producer, also actor · Born November 16, 1954 (71) · Ashland, Kentucky, USA

Allison Anders (born November 16, 1954) is an American independent film director whose films include Gas Food Lodging, Mi Vida Loca and Grace of My Heart. Anders has collaborated with fellow UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television graduate Kurt Voss and has also worked as a television director. Anders' films have been shown at the Cannes International Film Festival and at the Sundance Film Festival. She has been awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant as well as a Peabody Award. Description above from the Wikipedia article Allison Anders, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 16, 1954 (71)
From
Ashland, Kentucky, USA
Works as
Director, writer and producer, also actor
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 36 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

What are Allison Anders' films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Documentary7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
29%
Bonds
26%
Society
13%
Survival
12%
Ideas
9%
Morality
8%
Power
4%
Ambition5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 4 · Dark 4

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

Grounded 16 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 9 · Charged 8 · Intense 2

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 0

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 10 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 6

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
11
Contemplative
9
Warm
8
Tense
7
Hopeful
6
Other
12

How their films linger

Bittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet11
  • Ambiguous6
  • Cyclical1
  • Other1

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 Allison Anders' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Allison Anders' 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

36 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 20 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Sorry for Your Loss(2018)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Mayans M.C.(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Riverdale(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Beaches(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Graves(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • I Believe in Unicorns(2014)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Proof(2015)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • The Affair(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Turn: Washington's Spies(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • The Divide(2014)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Orange Is the New Black(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Ring of Fire(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Strutter(2012)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Rock N Roll Mamas(2013)

    Producer

  • Mystery Girl(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The One Man Beatles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Southland(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Mentalist(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Pacific and Eddy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Executive Producer

  • Men in Trees (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • What About Brian(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The L Word(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Cold Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Things Behind the Sun(2001)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Welcome to Hollywood(1998)

    as Allison Anders

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Grosse Pointe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Sugar Town(1999)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Lover Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Executive Producer

  • Grace of My Heart(1996)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Four Rooms(1995)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • My Crazy Life(1993)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Gas Food Lodging(1992)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Border Radio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Writer

  • Paris, Texas(1984)

    Production Assistant

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • In the Echo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles, 32 of them dated from 1984 to 2018.

Biggest box office

Four Rooms (1995)

$4.3M worldwide

Highest rated

This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

Four Rooms (1995)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 33: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting27 of 33: 18 only directing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stWriting9 of 33: 0 only writing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stProducing4 of 33: 3 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 33: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

33 titles, 9 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 9 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · crew1990s7 · crew2000s11 · 2 acting · 9 crew2010s12 · 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.

How do Allison Anders' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of the 13 of 14 with a score; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · director

Beaches (2017)

88th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

The Mentalist (2008)

Midcredits 96th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 62/100 and the pacing 42/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Allison Anders' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 67 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 66 · intenseMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 66 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 47 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Allison Anders work with?

People who share at least 2 of Allison Anders' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dan Hassid shares the most, 5.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles