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Biloxi Blues

Biloxi Blues

The Army made Eugene a man. But Daisy gave him basic training!

1988106 minPG-13Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Director
Mike Nichols
Starring
Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken, Matt Mulhern, Corey Parker

A Jewish teenager sets three goals: lose his virginity, become a writer, and survive World War II.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Biloxi Blues?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Biloxi Blues?

Biloxi Blues earns 5 badges, led by Word-of-mouth hit and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Biloxi Blues worth watching?

Biloxi Blues' Midcredits score is the 68th percentile of all films, from 26K ratings across 6 sources. 59% 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

76th percentile among Comedy70th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)69th
Approval (how many liked it)65th

67 /100

69th percentile of all films

78th percentile among Comedy72nd percentile among 1980s

Critics 61 · Audience 67

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

59% liked it

65th percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Comedy66th percentile among 1980s
59% rated it 7–1041% rated it 1–6

Critics 76% · Audience 63%

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

87th percentile

26K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 50% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$17M
Opening weekend$7.1M
Domestic gross$43M
Worldwide gross$52M

Returned 3.0× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Walken's complex psychotic drill sergeant performance
  • Neil Simon's witty dialogue and well-defined characters
  • Coming-of-age character study with humor and poignancy

Detractors panned

  • Cliched, predictable boot camp tropes with stale humor
  • Underwritten, cookie-cutter supporting characters
  • Third-act tonal shift into unconvincing melodrama

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Walken's standout psychotic sergeant and Broderick's earnest lead; detractors find Walken's performance baffling or bad direction

DialogueDivisive65

Simon's witty, quotable lines land for fans; detractors find them forced, dated, or overdone

CharactersDivisive55

Fans praise well-defined, endearing archetypes; detractors call them flat, generic cookie-cutter types

HumorDivisive55

Light, charming laughs for fans; detractors find it forced, unfunny, and cheesy

PacingDivisive55

First half solid, second half drags or veers into melodrama for many

Emotional impactDivisive50

Fans find poignant coming-of-age warmth; detractors feel no emotional investment

Plot and storyDivisive45

Slender, episodic boot camp story; detractors call it meandering and cliched

OriginalityDivisive30

Familiar boot camp formula; detractors pan it as derivative of Stripes and Full Metal Jacket

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Biloxi Blues 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 and funny 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

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmContemplativeTense
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material with a warm, lightly comic distance, playing the absurdities and tensions of boot camp for gentle humour without undercutting the characters' earnest growth.
The rideThe film maintains a light, humorous tone overall, with moments of tension and reflection during the middle portion of the training.
StructureThe story is told chronologically from arrival at boot camp to departure, with a linear three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a warm, nostalgic feeling as Eugene reflects fondly on his comrades' fates and his own tender memories of first love.
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).RebirthHealing
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%: 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% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe film follows Eugene Jerome through boot camp as he matures, loses his virginity, and gains a new understanding of himself and his comrades, a gentle coming-of-age arc.

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 filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · 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% · 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

Friendship · 9% of filmsComing of age · 5% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the bonds forged among the recruits as they endure boot camp together, while also touching on the passage into adulthood and the loyalty tested by the military environment.
StanceThe film seems to observe the camaraderie and personal growth of the recruits without taking a strong moral or satirical stance, letting the characters' experiences speak for themselves.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Georges Delerue
SettingA military boot camp in Biloxi, Mississippi during World War II
MusicDelerue's score likely underscores the film's comic and nostalgic tones.

Content guide

Is Biloxi Blues okay for kids?

PG-13

Biloxi Blues is rated PG-13. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (19/100), sexual content at moderate (38/100), language at moderate (44/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (29/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • Ireland15
  • JapanR15+
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 55%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (56 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 Biloxi Blues have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Biloxi Blues?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Matthew Broderick
as Eugene Jerome
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.
Christopher Walken
as Sgt. Toomey
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Matt Mulhern
as Joseph Wykowski
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Corey Parker
as Arnold Epstein
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Markus Flanagan
as Selridge
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Casey Siemaszko
as Carney
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Michael Dolan
as James Hennesey
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Penelope Ann Miller
as Daisy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Park Overall
as Rowena
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Alan Pottinger
as Peek
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Biloxi Blues?

Movies like Biloxi Blues include Postcards from the Edge (1990), Tea with Mussolini (1999) and 4th Man Out (2015). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set during World War II, and most are period dramas.

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

Mike Nichols directed 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Biloxi Blues?

8.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: period drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.