Skip to content
MovieCove
Code Unknown

Code Unknown

Love has a language all its own.

2000118 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Director
Michael Haneke
Starring
Juliette Binoche, Thierry Neuvic, Josef Bierbichler, Alexandre Hamidi

A series of events unfold like a chain reaction, all stemming from a minor event that brings the film's five characters together. Set in Paris, France, Anne is an actress whose boyfriend Georges photographs the war in Kosovo. Georges' brother, Jean, is looking for the entry code to Georges' apartment. These characters' lives interconnect with a Romanian immigrant and a deaf teacher.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Code Unknown?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Code Unknown streaming on The Criterion Channel and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Code Unknown?

Code Unknown earns 5 badges, led by One of a kind and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Code Unknown worth watching?

Code Unknown's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 49K ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

86th percentile among Drama82nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)81st

71 /100

83rd percentile of all films

86th percentile among Drama82nd percentile among 2000s

Critics 74 · Audience 71

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Drama79th percentile among 2000s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 75% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

89th percentile

49K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Drama83rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

Box office

Domestic gross$95K
Worldwide gross$106K

35th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a deliberately fragmented, episodic collection of short scenes linked by chance, and viewers either find its ambiguity thought-provoking or frustrating.

Fans praised

  • ambitious formal structure of long takes and abrupt black cuts that force contemplation
  • interconnected vignettes capturing the randomness and consequence of urban encounters
  • Binoche's raw, naturalistic performance as the actress adrift

Detractors panned

  • narrative that never resolves, leaving stories feeling pointless
  • self-consciously arty and pretentious with oppressive tone
  • slow pacing that lingers without purpose, making the film a bore

What stands out

Originality88

radical fragmented narrative and long-take style, revolutionary to many

Cinematography85

virtuoso long takes and carefully composed frames

ActingDivisive82

Binoche praised as raw and real, overall cast naturalistic

AtmosphereDivisive78

immersive, cold realism of Paris and alienation

CharactersDivisive55

characters seen as types lacking depth; some fans find them realistically opaque

Emotional impactDivisive55

some fans feel drained and moved; detractors cold and unmoved

PacingDivisive40

slow, lingering scenes with jarring cuts; divisive on effectiveness

Plot and storyDivisive30

no conventional plot; unresolved vignettes that some find meaningless

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Code Unknown like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something dark that stays with you.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you thinking. 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

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ColdContemplativeMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.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.Multiple perspectives · 2% of films: The same events retold from different characters' points of view.
ToneThe film maintains a detached, observational stance, using long static takes to examine social divisions without emotional manipulation or irony.
The rideThe film sustains a detached, observant mood of quiet sadness and disconnection without dramatic swings.
StructureThe story is told in a series of short, disconnected vignettes separated by black screens, each following a different character's perspective with no conventional three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's fragmented, unresolved stories leave the viewer pondering social divisions and the difficulty of communication, with a lingering unease.
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).
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%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThe film is a fragmented ensemble drama with no single narrative arc; it follows multiple characters whose lives intersect briefly, lacking a traditional quest, monster, or transformation story.

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 filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · 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% (this title): Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% (this title) · Displacement 1% (this title) · 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%

Society

Displacement · 1% of filmsPrejudice · 3% of filmsIsolation · 5% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how a single confrontation ripples outward, displacing people across borders and social worlds, and exposing the indifference and bias that govern their connections.
StanceThe film examines displacement and prejudice through multiple perspectives, presenting them without overt judgment or resolution.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
AmbientFolkSupportive music · original score · Giba Gonçalves
SettingParis streets and apartments, caught between social classes and migrant lives
MusicSubtle, percussive score that underlines the film's quiet observational rhythm.

Content guide

Is Code Unknown okay for kids?

Not Rated

Code Unknown is not rated. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (40/100), sexual content at mild (24/100), language at moderate (39/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at moderate (46/100). Overall it is heavier than 27% of unrated films.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • South Korea15
  • Hungary16
  • Russia18+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 23% of all filmsHeavier than 27% of unrated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 33%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 31%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 49%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 49%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 39%

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 39% of unrated 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 Code Unknown have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Code Unknown?

Cast

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

Juliette Binoche
as Anne Laurent
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Thierry Neuvic
as Georges
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Josef Bierbichler
as The Farmer
Alexandre Hamidi
as Jean
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Maimouna Hélène Diarra
as Aminate
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Luminita Gheorghiu
as Maria
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bruno Todeschini
as Pierre
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paulus Manker
as Perrin
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Didier Flamand
as The Director
Walid Afkir
as The Young Arab
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Code Unknown?

Movies like Code Unknown include Synonyms (2019), 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994) and Mississippi Masala (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in an immigrant community, and most are films about displacement.

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

5 of these 12 share its world: Paris. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Code Unknown?

678 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: slow cinema. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.