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Burglar

Burglar

A first rate comedy about a second story woman.

1987103 minRMidcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Director
Hugh Wilson
Starring
Whoopi Goldberg, Bobcat Goldthwait, G.W. Bailey, Lesley Ann Warren

Bernice "Bernie" Rhodenbarr is a burglar by trade, and she runs a bookstore as well. Her friend Carl Hefler is a dog groomer. After a successful burglary, it's discovered that a dead body was in the house she burgled. As she's the only one who can be placed at the scene of the crime, she has to use her criminal skills to clear her name of the murder AND avoid getting charged with the burglary.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Burglar?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Burglar streaming on The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Burglar?

Burglar earns 3 badges, led by Before they were famous and Fun.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Burglar worth watching?

Burglar's Midcredits score is the 19th percentile of all films, from 7.4K ratings across 4 sources. 26% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

19th percentile

Better received than 19% of films

19th percentile among Comedy21st percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)17th

54 /100

25th percentile of all films

26th percentile among Comedy24th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

26% liked it

17th percentile of all films

16th percentile among Comedy18th percentile among 1980s
26% rated it 7–1074% rated it 1–6

Critics 27% · Audience 39%

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

74th percentile

7.4K ratings across platforms

70th percentile among Comedy70th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 104% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$13M
Opening weekend$4.5M
Domestic gross$16M
Worldwide gross$16M

Returned 1.3× its budget — 79th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Burglar is an uneven 1980s action-comedy misfire that fails to blend its genres effectively.

Fans praised

  • Whoopi Goldberg's charismatic comic performance as a streetwise anti-heroine
  • Fun chemistry between Goldberg and Bobcat Goldthwait's manic sidekick
  • Well-crafted mystery plot with resourceful protagonist and solid whodunit structure

Detractors panned

  • Schizophrenic tone that never balances comedy and suspense
  • Unfunny, cringeworthy humor that falls flat
  • Weak, predictable script with clichéd twists and dull pacing

What stands out

ActingDivisive62

Goldberg delivers charisma and comic energy; support cast (Goldthwait, Goodman, Warren) adds value but some find performances phoned-in

CharactersDivisive45

Unlikable protagonist and poorly developed supporting roles; Goldthwait's manic friend polarizes or annoys

DialogueDivisive45

Goldberg's smart-aleck one-liners work on some; script is widely panned as unfunny and flat

Plot and storyDivisive40

Convoluted, clichéd mystery loses steam; fans find the whodunit credible, detractors call it boring and illogical

PacingDivisive35

Starts promisingly then drags into dull stretches; climax and conclusion feel rushed or anticlimactic

TensionDivisive35

Suspense fails due to clunky rhythm and lack of stakes; some enjoy early burglary scene

HumorDivisive30

Comedy almost universally panned as unfunny, lewd, or painful; fans find sporadic laughs in Goldthwait's scenes

OriginalityDivisive30

Derivative of Fletch-style comedy-thrillers; book adaptation changes gender but adds little new

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Burglar like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is funny and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingAbsurdTense
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, treating the caper and murder investigation with a breezy, comedic touch that never undercuts the stakes.
The rideThe heist and murder plot generate moderate tension and absurd humour, likely peaking during the murder investigation in the latter part.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the burglary through the investigation to the final confrontation, following a conventional beginning-middle-end structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you grinning from its clever caper antics and witty dialogue, with a slight edge from the cynical compromises the protagonist must keep making.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

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).Mystery
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%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.

7% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe story follows an ex-con bookseller who stumbles into a murder investigation and must clear her own name by finding the real killer, driven by a central question of who killed the man in the apartment.

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 filmsSelfPurposeSelf
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% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · 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% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · 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

Purpose · 9% of filmsSurvivalDeception · 9% 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 story follows a reformed burglar forced back into crime to clear her own name, exploring her search for a way out and the lies that entrap her.
StanceThe film observes Bernice's forced return to crime and her fight to clear her name without strong moralising, focusing on personal stakes.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalJazzPopSupportive music · original score · Sylvester Levay
Setting1980s New York, moving between seedy apartments and police stations
MusicSylvester Levay's score likely blends light jazz and orchestral cues to underscore the comedic-caper tone.

Content guide

Is Burglar okay for kids?

R

Burglar is rated R. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (44/100), sexual content at intense (60/100), language at severe (83/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (50/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • FranceU
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Intense
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Severe
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (19 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 Burglar have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Burglar?

Cast

Whoopi Goldberg
as Bernice Rhodenbarr
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Bobcat Goldthwait
as Carl Hefler
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.
G.W. Bailey
as Ray Kirschman
Lesley Ann Warren
as Dr. Cynthia Sheldrake
John Goodman
as Detective Nyswander
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Vyto Ruginis
as K.E. Graybow
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
James Handy
as Carson Verrill
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Anne DeSalvo
as Detective Todras
Elizabeth Ruscio
as Frankie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Larry Mintz
as Vincent 'Knobby' DiCarno
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 Burglar?

Movies like Burglar include The Art of the Steal (2013) and Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two (2021), both crime films.

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

Explore by

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

1.2K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: thief. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.