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Adrift

Adrift

201896 minPG-13Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Director
Baltasar Kormákur
Starring
Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Thomas, Elizabeth Hawthorne

Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp couldn't anticipate that they would be sailing directly into one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. In the aftermath of the storm, Tami awakens to find Richard badly injured and their boat in ruins. With no hope of rescue, Tami must now find the strength and determination to save herself and the only man she has ever loved.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Adrift?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Adrift?

Adrift earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Bittersweet.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Adrift worth watching?

Adrift's Midcredits score is the 68th percentile of all films, from 141K ratings across 6 sources. 61% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

68th percentile

Better received than 68% of films

81st percentile among Action68th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)66th
Approval (how many liked it)67th

66 /100

66th percentile of all films

81st percentile among Action66th percentile among 2010s

Critics 56 · Audience 67

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

61% liked it

67th percentile of all films

78th percentile among Action68th percentile among 2010s
61% rated it 7–1039% rated it 1–6

Critics 70% · Audience 65%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 5 noms overall

97th percentile

141K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Action97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 25% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$35M
Opening weekend$12M
Domestic gross$31M
Worldwide gross$60M

Returned 1.7× its budget — 80th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Shailene Woodley's physically and emotionally gripping lead performance
  • effective intercutting of past romance and present survival that pays off
  • stunning ocean cinematography and hurricane sequence

Detractors panned

  • nonlinear structure kills suspense and momentum
  • shallow, badly-written characters and dialogue
  • derivative of better survival thrillers

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Woodley's raw, immersive performance carries the film; Claflin supports strongly

CinematographyDivisive75

beautiful open-ocean visuals and intimate on-boat shots

Emotional impactDivisive70

true-story tragedy and twist hit hard for many

AtmosphereDivisive70

immersive sense of isolation and hopelessness at sea

EndingDivisive65

twist resolution is moving but some find it predictable

CharactersDivisive50

romantic leads written thin, little depth; fans find them believable

Plot and storyDivisive45

nonlinear survival structure divides: some call it compelling, others gimmicky and disjointed

PacingDivisive45

flashbacks drain tension; third act drags

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Adrift like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseRomanticHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.In medias res · 1% of films: Opens mid-action, then fills in how we got there.
ToneThe film treats its harrowing true story with gravity and respect, while also conveying the tenderness of the love story.
The rideThe film likely shifts from romantic beginnings to intense survival tension during the hurricane, with the heaviest stretch near the end.
StructureThe story is told through intercut flashbacks, showing the couple’s romance alongside the present-day survival ordeal.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a bittersweet feeling of survival and love lost, with the emotional weight of Tami's ordeal staying with you.
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).Voyage
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% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · 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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeBased on a true story, the film follows a young woman stranded on a damaged sailboat in the Pacific after a hurricane, struggling to survive and save her injured fiancé.

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

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsSurvival
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe story centers on a couple finding love and then fighting to survive a catastrophic hurricane together.
StanceThe film likely celebrates love and the human will to survive against nature's forces, focusing on the couple's bond.

The world

Late 20th centuryIn transitWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Volker Bertelmann
Settinga sailboat in the Pacific Ocean during a hurricane
MusicThe score likely underscores the emotional journey from romance to survival tension.

Content guide

Is Adrift okay for kids?

PG-13

Adrift is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for injury images, peril, language, brief drug use, partial nudity and thematic elements” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (42/100), sexual content at moderate (42/100), language at mild (30/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (53/100). Overall it is heavier than 44% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary12
  • Israel12
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO15
  • Russia16+
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 29% of all filmsHeavier than 44% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 44%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 78%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 20%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 56%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 60%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 60% 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 Adrift have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Adrift?

Cast

At least 4 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Shailene Woodley
as Tami Oldham
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.
Sam Claflin
as Richard Sharp
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jeffrey Thomas
as Peter Crompton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Elizabeth Hawthorne
as Christine Crompton
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Grace Palmer
as Deb
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Marisiale Tunoka
as Customs Agent
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kael Damlamian
as Smiley
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Neil Andrea
as Crewman
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Tami Ashcraft
as Tami Ashcraft
Lei-Ming Caine
as Outrigger Girl

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Adrift?

Movies like Adrift include Horizon Line (2020), Submergence (2017) and The Boat (2018). Of the 12 closest matches, most are survival stories, and most are whirlwind romances.

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

8 of these 12 share its world: at sea. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

545 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: disaster survival. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.