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Against All Odds

Against All Odds

Sometimes love is the most dangerous game of all.

1984121 minRMidcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Director
Taylor Hackford
Starring
Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, James Woods, Alex Karras

Terry Brogan, a cynical former football star, is hired to find Jessie Wyler, the runaway mistress of ruthless LA nightclub owner Jake Wise. But trouble brews when he tracks down and falls in love with the beautiful Jessie on a Mexican island—and Jake dispatches his henchman to bring the lovers back.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Against All Odds?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Against All Odds streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Against All Odds?

Against All Odds earns 6 badges, led by Standout soundtrack and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Against All Odds worth watching?

Against All Odds' Midcredits score is the 37th percentile of all films, from 27K ratings across 6 sources. 38% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

37th percentile

Better received than 37% of films

53rd percentile among Action38th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)39th
Approval (how many liked it)35th

58 /100

39th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Action40th percentile among 1980s

Critics 42 · Audience 60

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

38% liked it

35th percentile of all films

49th percentile among Action37th percentile among 1980s
38% rated it 7–1062% rated it 1–6

Critics 63% · Audience 45%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 3 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Music, Original Song
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Original Song - Motion Picture

88th percentile

27K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Action87th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 18% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$13M
Opening weekend$3.8M
Domestic gross$22M
Worldwide gross$22M

Returned 1.7× its budget — 68th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors acknowledge the film has a convoluted plot and a great Phil Collins theme song, but they disagree on whether the slick 80s style and performances compensate for the narrative issues.

Fans praised

  • Strong lead performances from Bridges and Woods
  • Well-built tension and suspense
  • Great soundtrack, especially the Phil Collins title song

Detractors panned

  • Plot is overcomplicated, convoluted, and confusing
  • Characters are mostly unlikeable and lack motivation
  • Romantic chemistry between the leads is not convincing

What stands out

Sound and music85

Phil Collins title song is iconic and Oscar-nominated; great soundtrack with Kid Creole

ActingDivisive65

Bridges and Woods are compelling, but Ward is criticized as flat and brittle

Cinematography65

Beautifully shot with slick exterior and stylish 80s Miami vibe

Emotional impactDivisive40

Tear-jerking ending for fans, but detractors find it emotionally empty

Pacing40

Runs long, feels choppy, scenes change to 'entirely different movie'

CharactersDivisive35

Mostly unlikeable, poorly motivated, and one-note characterizations

Plot and storyDivisive30

Overplotted, confusing, wanders into corporate law offices and clubs

Originality30

Weak remake of Out of the Past, inherits weakest element of overelaborate intrigue

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 10 points higher than users.

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

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Against All Odds like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseRomanticMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Romantic · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its noir-tinged romance and corruption straight, with a glossy 80s sheen but an earnest emotional core.
The rideThe film builds tension through the dangerous situation while the central romance adds romantic and melancholic undertones, with the complications escalating in the middle.
StructureThe film follows a conventional three-act structure: the setup in Los Angeles, the romantic interlude in Mexico, and the convoluted return to the city with escalating complications.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering sense of lost love and the impossibility of a happy ending under the weight of corruption and circumstance.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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% (this title) · 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%: 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. · Fish out of water: Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).

4% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

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

Why this archetypeTerry, an aging athlete, is pulled into a search that leads him into a foreign world (Mexico and the criminal underworld), a journey from which he returns changed and enmeshed in a tragic web of love and corruption.

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% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • 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%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Loyalty · 4% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe central romance is a consuming, complicated passion that collides with the loyalty owed to the gangster who hired the protagonist.
StanceThe film questions whether romantic love can survive when it is entangled with betrayal and criminal loyalties, without fully celebrating or condemning it.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
Orchestral modernPopSupportive music · hybrid · Michel Colombier
SettingLos Angeles, with a mix of glamorous and gritty locations tied to the gangster milieu and the protagonist's world-weary sports past.
MusicExpected to blend a period pop soundtrack with a orchestral score in the neo-noir style of the era.

Content guide

Is Against All Odds okay for kids?

R

Against All Odds is rated R. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (64/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at severe (87/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (62/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Overall it is heavier than 56% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea19
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 74% of all filmsHeavier than 56% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 42%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 48%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 86%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%

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

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

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 Against All Odds have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Against All Odds?

Cast

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

Jeff Bridges
as Terry Brogan
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rachel Ward
as Jessie Wyler
James Woods
as Jake Wise
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alex Karras
as Hank Sully
Jane Greer
as Mrs. Wyler
Richard Widmark
as Ben Caxton
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.
Dorian Harewood
as Tommy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Swoosie Kurtz
as Edie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Saul Rubinek
as Steve Kirsch
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Pat Corley
as Ed Phillips

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Against All Odds?

Movies like Against All Odds include Blood in Blood Out (1993), Into the Night (1985) and American Gigolo (1980). Of the 9 closest matches, several are forbidden-love stories, and most are crime films.

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

8 of these 9 share its world: Los Angeles. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Against All Odds?

1.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: neo-noir. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.