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Babe

Babe

A little pig goes a long way.

199591 minGMidcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Director
Chris Noonan
Starring
Christine Cavanaugh, Miriam Margolyes, Danny Mann, Hugo Weaving

Babe is a little pig who doesn't quite know his place in the world. With a bunch of odd friends, like Ferdinand the duck who thinks he is a rooster and Fly the dog he calls mum, Babe realises that he has the makings to become the greatest sheep pig of all time, and Farmer Hoggett knows it. With the help of the sheep dogs, Babe learns that a pig can be anything that he wants to be.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Babe?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Babe to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Babe?

Babe earns 13 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Word-of-mouth hit.

Show 5 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Babe worth watching?

Babe's Midcredits score is the 76th percentile of all films, from 357K ratings across 6 sources. 65% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

76th percentile

Better received than 76% of films

84th percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)72nd

70 /100

78th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 1990s

Critics 83 · Audience 69

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

65% liked it

72nd percentile of all films

79th percentile among Comedy74th percentile among 1990s
65% rated it 7–1035% rated it 1–6

Critics 98% · Audience 68%

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

Awards

1 Oscars won · 6 Oscar noms · 16 wins / 26 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Effects, Visual Effects
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Supporting Role

97th percentile

357K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$8.7M
Domestic gross$64M
Worldwide gross$254M

Returned 8.5× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sweet, wholesome family fantasy about a pig who defies expectations.

Fans praised

  • heartfelt and charming story with genuine emotional depth
  • innovative use of real animals and animatronics for seamless talking effects
  • poignant and uplifting tale of determination and kindness

Detractors panned

  • overly sentimental and manipulative
  • disturbing and unnatural depiction of a pig acting like a dog
  • annoying voice performance and lack of genuine humor

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive85

Genuinely moving moments, especially Babe's longing and losses

OriginalityDivisive85

Fresh and inventive concept for a family film

EndingDivisive82

Satisfying and triumphant conclusion

CharactersDivisive80

Lovable and well-drawn animal personalities, especially Babe and Fly

Effects and spectacleDivisive80

Groundbreaking animatronics and realistic talking animal effects

Sound and music78

Effective classical score by Nigel Westlake, notably Saint-Saëns

ActingDivisive75

James Cromwell's nuanced, understated performance as Farmer Hoggett widely praised

Plot and storyDivisive72

Simple but effective story of a pig becoming a sheepdog

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 16 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 16 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 12 points higher than non-US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Babe like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulHopefulWarm
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Chaptered · 1% of films: Told in titled chapters or clearly separate parts.
ToneThe film treats its talking-animal world with earnest warmth and gentle humour, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe film sustains a gentle, warm register throughout, building toward a triumphant and emotionally resonant climax.
StructureThe story is told in a conventional three-act structure with chapter breaks and narration.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's triumphant ending and message of kindness leave the viewer with a warm, hopeful feeling.
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).Rags
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% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · 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%: 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%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeBabe, an orphaned pig, rises from potential meal to champion sheep-herder through kindness and determination, fitting an underdog triumph.

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 filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · 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% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · 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

Family bondsIdentity · 14% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe core theme is the found family Babe builds across species lines, challenging the farm's rigid social order and discovering who he is in the process.
StanceThe film celebrates the power of kindness, family across difference, and challenging prejudice within a small community.

The world

Late 20th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalFolkSupportive music · original score · Nigel Westlake
Settinga small, rain-soaked sheep farm in rural Australia
MusicThe score blends gentle orchestral themes with folk motifs, supporting the film's warm, pastoral atmosphere without overwhelming it.

Content guide

Is Babe okay for kids?

G

Babe is rated G. As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (31/100), sexual content at minimal (12/100), language at minimal (10/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (1/100) and frightening material at moderate (38/100). Overall it is heavier than 37% of G-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UKU
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • IrelandG
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark7
  • Netherlands6
  • PortugalM/6
  • RO15
  • Russia0+
  • SpainA
  • Sweden7
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 6% of all filmsHeavier than 37% of G-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 43%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 34%
Profanity
None / Minimal
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 41%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a G-rated film
heavier than 5%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a G-rated film
heavier than 53%

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 53% of G-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 Babe have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Babe?

Cast

Christine Cavanaugh
as Babe
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.
Miriam Margolyes
as Fly
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Danny Mann
as Ferdinand
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Hugo Weaving
as Rex
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Miriam Flynn
as Maa
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
James Cromwell
as Farmer Hoggett
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Magda Szubanski
as Esme Hoggett
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Russi Taylor
as Cat
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Roscoe Lee Browne
as Narrator
Evelyn Krape
as Old Ewe
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Babe?

Movies like Babe include Babe: Pig in the City (1998), Barnyard (2006) and Happy Feet (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by George Miller, and most are films set on a farm.

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

11 of these 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

827 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.