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Bart Got a Room

Bart Got a Room

200880 minPG-13Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Director
Brian Hecker
Starring
Steven Kaplan, William H. Macy, Cheryl Hines, Ashley Benson

High school loser Danny Stein needs a prom date. As a cause of anxiety for Danny, Bart Beeber, the nerdiest guy in school, has already found a date. At the same time, Danny's divorced parents are both seeking relationships again.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Bart Got a Room?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Bart Got a Room streaming on Pluto TV (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Bart Got a Room?

Bart Got a Room earns 2 badges, led by Feel-good and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Bart Got a Room worth watching?

Bart Got a Room's Midcredits score is the 33rd percentile of all films, from 5.3K ratings across 6 sources. 35% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

33rd percentile

Better received than 33% of films

36th percentile among Comedy32nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)37th
Approval (how many liked it)30th

58 /100

37th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Comedy36th percentile among 2000s

Critics 57 · Audience 58

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

35% liked it

30th percentile of all films

32nd percentile among Comedy28th percentile among 2000s
35% rated it 7–1065% rated it 1–6

Critics 70% · Audience 56%

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

78th percentile

5.3K ratings across platforms

75th percentile among Comedy70th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$2M
Opening weekend$33K
Domestic gross$54K
Worldwide gross$54K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 18th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A conventional high-school prom comedy that wears its heart on its sleeve, set in an unusually authentic South Florida retirement-community backdrop.

Fans praised

  • heartfelt coming-of-age with relatable teen angst
  • hilarious William H. Macy performance and deadpan delivery
  • quirky South Florida setting and nostalgic soundtrack

Detractors panned

  • predictable, clichéd plot lifted from countless teen comedies
  • blank-slate protagonist with no inner life or motivation

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Macy's scene-stealing turns and Kaplan's earnest but limited range

Atmosphere70

authentic Hollywood FL world with constant elderly background

HumorDivisive55

Macy's physical comedy praised; many call the film not funny

DialogueDivisive55

deadpan one-liners land for fans, detractors find them flat

Pacing55

brisk 78-minute runtime but some detractor say it drags horribly

CharactersDivisive40

underwritten teens and divorced parents, only Macy's dad feels dimensional

Plot and storyDivisive30

textbook prom-date search with zero surprises even advocates call predictable

OriginalityDivisive25

derivative of every 80s teen movie, 'been done better before'

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

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

  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Bart Got a Room like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It is gentle and leaves you feeling good. 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

Easy laugh.

Moods
JoyfulWarmRomantic
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats Danny's prom quest with affectionate, understated humour, never mocking its characters.
The rideThe film maintains a light, comedic tone with occasional moments of embarrassment and sweetness, never becoming heavy.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from two months before prom to prom night, following Danny's escalating efforts.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with Danny and his family enjoying prom together, leaving a sweet, optimistic aftertaste.
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).QuestMission
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · 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%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeDanny's search for a prom date and a hotel room drives the plot, making it a comic quest that also serves as his coming-of-age.

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 filmsSelfSelf-worth
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% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · 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%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
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 themeDanny's desperation to secure a prom date is driven by a need to prove his worth in the high-school social hierarchy, especially when contrasted with the unlikely success of Bart.
StanceThe film frames Danny's desperate quest with affectionate humor, ultimately celebrating the earnestness of teenage romance.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
PopJazzSupportive music · hybrid · Jamie Lawrence
SettingA high school in Hollywood, Florida, with scenes at home and around town.
MusicThe soundtrack features Big Band favorites that add to the retro-prom atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Bart Got a Room okay for kids?

PG-13

Bart Got a Room is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 on Appeal for sexual content, thematic elements and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at moderate (42/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (8 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 Bart Got a Room have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Bart Got a Room?

Cast

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

Steven Kaplan
as Danny
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
William H. Macy
as Ernie
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.
Cheryl Hines
as Beth
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ashley Benson
as Alice
Alia Shawkat
as Camille
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Brandon Hardesty
as Craig
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kate Micucci
as Abby
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Jon Polito
as Bob
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Jennifer Tilly
as Melinda
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Dinah Manoff
as Mrs. Goodson

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Bart Got a Room?

Movies like Bart Got a Room include Can't Hardly Wait (1998), He's All That (2021) and Senior Year (2022). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in high school, and most are teen dramas.

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

11 of these 12 share its world: small-town America. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Bart Got a Room?

972 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: unrequited love. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.