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Accidental Love

Accidental Love

Sometimes you nail love. Sometimes it nails you.

2015100 minPG-13Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
Director
David O. Russell
Starring
Jessica Biel, Jake Gyllenhaal, Catherine Keener, James Marsden

A small town waitress gets a nail accidentally lodged in her head causing unpredictable behavior that leads her to Washington, DC. Sparks fly when she meets a clueless young senator who takes up her cause - but what happens when love interferes with what you stand for?

Where to watch

Where can I watch Accidental Love?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Accidental Love streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Accidental Love?

Accidental Love earns 4 badges, led by Overhyped and Universally Panned.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Accidental Love worth watching?

Accidental Love's Midcredits score is the 2nd percentile of all films, from 20K ratings across 6 sources. 13% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

2nd percentile

Better received than 2% of films

1st percentile among Comedy3rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)5th
Approval (how many liked it)2nd

41 /100

5th percentile of all films

4th percentile among Comedy7th percentile among 2010s

Critics 20 · Audience 43

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

13% liked it

2nd percentile of all films

1st percentile among Comedy2nd percentile among 2010s
13% rated it 7–1087% rated it 1–6

Critics 9% · Audience 15%

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

90th percentile

20K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Comedy90th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 69% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$26M
Worldwide gross$24K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 13th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is an ambitious but messy political satire that was severely damaged by its disastrous production history.

Fans praised

  • clever political satire of US healthcare
  • funny moments and wacky characters
  • enjoyable despite obvious production flaws

Detractors panned

  • incoherent and poorly edited due to troubled production
  • unfunny and juvenile script with no laughs
  • miscast leads with zero chemistry

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive45

premise relatively original but execution clichéd

ActingDivisive35

cast gives it their all but script and direction fail

DialogueDivisive25

cheap, juvenile, unfunny lines; a few clever moments

AtmosphereDivisive25

tonally inconsistent; feels unfinished

Plot and storyDivisive20

incomprehensible and disjointed; premise lost in production chaos

HumorDivisive20

few laughs; described as painful and unfunny

CharactersDivisive20

one-dimensional caricatures

Pacing15

stop-and-go feel; chopped editing

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is Accidental Love like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It is funny 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

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticAbsurdHopeful
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Whimsical · 2% of filmsSatirical · 5% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material at a knowing, satirical distance, poking fun at the absurdity of politics and the situation.
The rideThe film oscillates between comedic absurdity and romantic earnestness, with the romance building in the middle.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional beginning, middle, and end, following Alice's journey from incident to Washington.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayViewers are likely to leave with a lighthearted, feel-good sensation from the comedic and romantic elements.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).Comedy
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% (this title) · 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%: 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. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

11% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe plot is driven by a bizarre accident that propels a small-town waitress into a political romp, with mistaken identity and absurd situations.

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 filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · 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% · 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%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsPurpose · 9% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how a physical accident disrupts and redefines a person's sense of self, and how love and purpose become tangled with that new identity.
StanceThe film seems to celebrate the idea of embracing one's unpredictable true self and finding love along the way.

The world

ContemporaryRuralInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
Orchestral modernPopSupportive music · hybrid · John Swihart
SettingA small-town diner and the corridors of Washington, D.C.
MusicLikely a light, whimsical score that underscores the comedic and romantic beats.

Content guide

Is Accidental Love okay for kids?

PG-13

Accidental Love is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sexual contact and language” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (6/100), sexual content at mild (28/100), language at moderate (43/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (10/100) and frightening material at minimal (4/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Netherlands14
  • PortugalM/12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 49%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (41 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 Accidental Love have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Accidental Love?

Cast

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

Jessica Biel
as Alice Eckle
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.
Jake Gyllenhaal
as Howard Birdwell
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.
Catherine Keener
as Rep. Pam Hendrickson
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
James Marsden
as Scott
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.
Tracy Morgan
as Keyshawn
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Paul Reubens
as Edwin
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Beverly D'Angelo
as Helen Eckle
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Kurt Fuller
as Reverend Norm
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Malinda Williams
as Rakeesha
Kirstie Alley
as Aunt Rita
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Accidental Love?

Movies like Accidental Love include Bewitched (2005), I Married a Witch (1942) and My Boyfriend's Back (1993). Of the 12 closest matches, several are comedies of errors, and several are stories about unlikely alliances.

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

8 of these 12 share its character type: whirlwind romance. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Accidental Love?

4.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: satire or spoof. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.