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Dick

Dick

He was tricky. They were better.

199994 minPG-13Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Director
Andrew Fleming
Starring
Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams, Dan Hedaya, Will Ferrell

Two high school girls wander off during a class trip to the White House and meet President Richard Nixon. They become the official dog walkers for Nixon's dog Checkers, and become his secret advisors during the Watergate scandal.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dick?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Dick streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Dick?

Dick earns 7 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Before they were famous.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Dick worth watching?

Dick's Midcredits score is the 58th percentile of all films, from 70K ratings across 6 sources. 49% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

58th percentile

Better received than 58% of films

66th percentile among Comedy61st percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)63rd
Approval (how many liked it)51st

65 /100

63rd percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Comedy67th percentile among 1990s

Critics 65 · Audience 65

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

49% liked it

51st percentile of all films

57th percentile among Comedy53rd percentile among 1990s
49% rated it 7–1051% rated it 1–6

Critics 71% · Audience 53%

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

Awards

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

91st percentile

70K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$13M
Opening weekend$2.2M
Domestic gross$6.3M
Worldwide gross$6.3M

Returned 0.5× its budget — 67th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a silly, revisionist comedy about the Watergate scandal.

Fans praised

  • Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams' performances as ditzy teenagers
  • Dan Hedaya's spot-on Nixon portrayal
  • Clever satirical rewriting of Watergate history

Detractors panned

  • Feels like an unfunny, overstretched SNL sketch
  • Woodward and Bernstein portrayed as bumbling idiots
  • Lacks wit and genuine comedy

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Dunst and Williams charming as ditzy teens; Hedaya praised as Nixon

OriginalityDivisive75

Fresh angle on Watergate as teen farce

AtmosphereDivisive70

Colorful 1970s period style

HumorDivisive65

Hit-or-miss; fans find hilarious, detractors find flat

DialogueDivisive65

Witty wordplay on 'Dick'; some find unfunny

CharactersDivisive60

Characters exaggerated caricatures; some find shallow

Plot and story55

Contrived but clever revisionist premise

PacingDivisive50

Drags in middle sections

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 12 points higher than non-US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Dick like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It 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

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdJoyfulWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Satirical · 5% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film plays its absurd historical revisionism completely straight, treating the girls' ditziness and Nixon's paranoia with equal earnestness to generate comedy.
The rideThe film keeps a playful, lighthearted tone from start to finish, with the absurdity of the premise sustaining the mood.
StructureOpens with Woodward and Bernstein reflecting on Deep Throat's identity before flashing back to 1972, where the story unfolds in a conventional chronology.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you giggling at the sheer absurdity of the premise while also mulling over how easily history could be upended by two clueless teenagers.
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).Comedy
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% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

11% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeTwo ditzy teenage girls accidentally witness the Watergate break-in and are hired as Nixon's dog-walkers to keep them quiet, inadvertently becoming his secret advisors and the source for Woodward and Bernstein. The plot is driven by mistaken identity and escalating confusion as the girls blunder through history.

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 filmsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): 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% (this title) · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Coming of age · 5% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsTruth · 4% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe girls navigate a world they barely understand, growing up through a mix of naivete and absurd responsibility.
StanceThe film gently mocks the political world and the absurdity of the situation rather than taking the history seriously.

The world

Late 20th centuryInstitutionalUrbanStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · John Debney
Setting1970s Washington, D.C., at the height of the Watergate scandal
MusicA light, playful score that underscores the comedic tone.

Content guide

Is Dick okay for kids?

PG-13

Dick is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor, drug content and language” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at moderate (49/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (40/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). Overall it is heavier than 21% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Hungary18
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 17% of all filmsHeavier than 21% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 1%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 45%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 68%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 82%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 1%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 68% of PG-13-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 Dick have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Dick?

Cast

Kirsten Dunst
as Betsy Jobs
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michelle Williams
as Arlene Lorenzo
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Dan Hedaya
as Dick
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Will Ferrell
as Bob Woodward
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Bruce McCulloch
as Carl Bernstein
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Teri Garr
as Helen Lorenzo
Dave Foley
as Bob Haldeman
Jim Breuer
as John Dean
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ana Gasteyer
as Rose Mary Woods
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Harry Shearer
as G. Gordon Liddy
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Dick?

Movies like Dick include Elvis & Nixon (2016), The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Mars Attacks! (1996). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about US presidents, and several are comedies of errors.

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

8 of these 12 share its world: political. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

4.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: satire or spoof. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.