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Broken Flowers

Broken Flowers

Sometimes life brings some strange surprises

2005106 minRMidcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Director
Jim Jarmusch
Starring
Bill Murray, Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Tilda Swinton

An introverted man receives an anonymous letter from an ex-lover informing him that he has a son who may be looking for him. A freelance sleuth neighbor motivates the man to embark on a cross-country search for his past flames, seeking answers.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Broken Flowers?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Broken Flowers?

Broken Flowers earns 10 badges, led by Top 10% in Comedy and Standout acting.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Broken Flowers worth watching?

Broken Flowers' Midcredits score is the 86th percentile of all films, from 189K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

86th percentile

Better received than 86% of films

91st percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)85th

71 /100

83rd percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 2000s

Critics 79 · Audience 71

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy83rd percentile among 2000s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 87% · Audience 70%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 12 noms overall

97th percentile

189K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 104% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$10M
Opening weekend$780K
Domestic gross$14M
Worldwide gross$47M

Returned 4.7× its budget — 90th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow, minimalist road movie with a muted Bill Murray performance and an unresolved mystery.

Fans praised

  • Bill Murray's minimalist, deadpan performance
  • Jim Jarmusch's restrained, elliptical storytelling
  • The strong supporting cast of actresses

Detractors panned

  • Excessively slow pacing
  • Lack of resolution or payoff
  • Underdeveloped characters and relationships

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Murray's subtle deadpan and strong ensemble turns

AtmosphereDivisive80

Melancholic, contemplative mood with quirky suburban settings

Originality80

Jarmusch's idiosyncratic, anti-formula approach

CharactersDivisive70

Murray's cipher-like Don and the vivid but brief ex-girlfriends

Emotional impactDivisive70

Bittersweet and poignant, though muted

Plot and storyDivisive55

Episodic quest with no clear resolution

EndingDivisive45

Open-ended and ambiguous; some find it unsatisfying

PacingDivisive40

Deliberate, slow, and sometimes tedious

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 23 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 15 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s even

Watch experience

What is Broken Flowers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Quiet and reflective: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in a patient, quiet mood.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast or you want every question answered.

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

What it asks of you

Patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Quiet and reflective.

Moods
MelancholicContemplativeBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Dry humor
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film is played with a dry, deadpan sincerity, treating Don's melancholic journey with quiet observation and understated humour.
The rideThe film maintains a quiet, reflective mood throughout, with the emotional weight accumulating toward the final encounters.
StructureThe film follows Don's linear journey visiting each ex-girlfriend in turn, structured as a series of episodes bookended by his departure and return, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a poignant, melancholy sense of the irretrievable past and a quiet invitation to reflect on how relationships shape us.
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).MysteryEnigma
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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2% (this title)
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Enigma: The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).

7% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by an anonymous letter revealing a possible son, prompting a cross-country search for the mother among former lovers, but the central question remains unresolved, making the journey itself the focus rather than the answer.

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

Identity · 14% 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 examines Don's withdrawn, passive identity as he is forced to confront his past relationships and the possibility of fatherhood.
StanceThe film observes Don's journey without moralizing, letting the encounters speak for themselves.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanIn transitRealistic
WorldJazzSupportive music · original score · Mulatu Astatke
SettingA cross-country road trip across the United States visiting the homes of former lovers.
MusicThe Ethiopian jazz score by Mulatu Astatke adds a distinctive, reflective texture.

Content guide

Is Broken Flowers okay for kids?

R

Broken Flowers is rated R: “Rated R for language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (29/100), sexual content at moderate (54/100), language at moderate (44/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at minimal (13/100). Overall it is heavier than 4% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany0
  • FranceTP
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil14
  • AustriaAA
  • Czechia15+
  • FinlandK-7
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • Sweden11
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 26% of all filmsHeavier than 4% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 11%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 62%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 17%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 42%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 6%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 62% of R-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 Broken Flowers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Broken Flowers?

Cast

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

Bill Murray
as Don Johnston
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.
Sharon Stone
as Laura
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.
Jessica Lange
as Carmen
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Tilda Swinton
as Penny
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Frances Conroy
as Dora
Alexis Dziena
as Lolita
Chloë Sevigny
as Carmen's Assistant
Christopher McDonald
as Ron
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Julie Delpy
as Sherry
Jeffrey Wright
as Winston

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Broken Flowers?

Movies like Broken Flowers include Dead Man (1995), Paterson (2016) and The Dead Don't Die (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, several are road movies, and half are films that feel dry.

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

Jim Jarmusch wrote and directed 4 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Broken Flowers?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: aging hero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.