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Darling Companion

Darling Companion

2012103 minPG-13Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Director
Lawrence Kasdan
Starring
Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins

Beth develops a deep bond with a dog she rescues. But when her self-absorbed husband loses the dog, the search takes some unexpected turns.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Darling Companion?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Darling Companion streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Darling Companion?

Darling Companion earns 2 badges, led by Overhyped and Feel-good.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Darling Companion worth watching?

Darling Companion's Midcredits score is the 17th percentile of all films, from 5.7K ratings across 6 sources. 26% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

17th percentile

Better received than 17% of films

16th percentile among Comedy18th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)20th
Approval (how many liked it)17th

51 /100

20th percentile of all films

20th percentile among Comedy22nd percentile among 2010s

Critics 41 · Audience 53

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

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 Comedy16th percentile among 2010s
26% rated it 7–1074% rated it 1–6

Critics 21% · Audience 29%

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

Reach

How many have seen it

80th percentile

5.6K ratings across platforms

78th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 53% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$40K
Domestic gross$794K
Worldwide gross$1.2M

45th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A lost-dog dramedy carried by an A-list cast, but thin on plot and stakes.

Fans praised

  • Mature, heart-warming relationship dramedy beneath the marketing
  • Cast of four Oscar winners embodies characters authentically
  • Dog shown as the glue of a family, not a gimmick

Detractors panned

  • Whiny, annoying characters with no empathy or depth
  • Slow, lethargic, meandering story with low stakes
  • Diane Keaton overacting, Kevin Kline phoning it in

What stands out

ActingDivisive70

Four Oscar winners give varied performances; Keaton radiant to some, overacting to others

Atmosphere50

Gorgeous Rocky Mountain setting, but tone is uneven

Emotional impactDivisive45

Heart-warming for some, but detached and unaffecting for others

Dialogue40

Dry humour in places, but often banal and dated

CharactersDivisive35

Quirky but whiny, underdeveloped, with no one to root for

Plot and story30

Meandering lost-dog search with low stakes and unnecessary subplots

PacingDivisive30

Slow, lethargic, and meandering; some found it hard to stay awake

Originality25

Clichéd romantic dramedy tropes, derivative of Kasdan's earlier work

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Darling Companion 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, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its characters with affection and earnestness, playing the family drama and dog-search story straight without irony.
The rideThe film is described as tepid and meandering, with low intensity and a treacly, feel-good resolution, so the emotional weight is light throughout but most resolved at the end.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the dog's rescue to the wedding and the search, with a conventional three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a warm, uplifted feeling as the family reconciles and the dog is found.
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 uses a missing dog as a catalyst for a middle-aged couple to confront their marital stagnation and reconnect, following a rebirth arc of healing.

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

Marriage · 2% of filmsFamily bondsLoyalty · 4% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a strained marriage where differing priorities—affection for a dog versus resentment—force a couple to reassess their relationship.
StanceThe film observes a couple's strained marriage without harsh critique, presenting their journey with gentle humor and sentiment.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · James Newton Howard
SettingA remote Rocky Mountain cabin and surrounding wilderness.
MusicScore by James Newton Howard, likely providing gentle, melodic accompaniment to the light dramedy.

Content guide

Is Darling Companion okay for kids?

PG-13

Darling Companion is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some sexual content including references, and language” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at mild (17/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (22/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • GreeceΚ
  • PortugalM/6
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (9 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 Darling Companion have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Darling Companion?

Cast

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

Diane Keaton
as Beth
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.
Kevin Kline
as Joseph
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.
Dianne Wiest
as Penny
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Richard Jenkins
as Russell
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Elisabeth Moss
as Grace
Mark Duplass
as Bryan
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Ayelet Zurer
as Carmen
Sam Shepard
as Sheriff Morris
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Lindsay Sloane
as Ellie
Jay Ali
as Sam
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Darling Companion?

Movies like Darling Companion include I Love You to Death (1990), The Accidental Tourist (1988) and Hope Springs (2012). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Lawrence Kasdan, and half are stories of healing.

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

9 of these 12 share its subject: marriage. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Darling Companion?

5.2K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: marriage in crisis. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.