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Drowning Mona

Drowning Mona

The death of Mona Dearly wasn't so much a whodunnit, as a who didn't.

200096 minPG-13Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Director
Nick Gomez
Starring
Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Neve Campbell, Jamie Lee Curtis

A Sheriff investigating the murder of an upstate New York woman learns that her extremely hateful ways gave the whole town a motive to be rid of her.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Drowning Mona?

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

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Drowning Mona?

Drowning Mona earns 4 badges, led by Before they were famous and Box Office Flop.

  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Drowning Mona worth watching?

Drowning Mona's Midcredits score is the 31st percentile of all films, from 28K ratings across 6 sources. 39% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

31st percentile

Better received than 31% of films

34th percentile among Comedy30th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)27th
Approval (how many liked it)36th

54 /100

27th percentile of all films

28th percentile among Comedy27th percentile among 2000s

Critics 25 · Audience 57

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

39% liked it

36th percentile of all films

39th percentile among Comedy34th percentile among 2000s
39% rated it 7–1061% rated it 1–6

Critics 29% · Audience 47%

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

Awards

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

87th percentile

28K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Comedy81st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$37M
Opening weekend$5.8M
Domestic gross$16M
Worldwide gross$16M

Returned 0.4× its budget — 79th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It is a dark, offbeat small-town murder comedy centered on a universally hated woman.

Fans praised

  • black comedy with bite and dark funny tone
  • ensemble cast giving vivid, committed performances
  • quirky, intelligent humor and memorable character details

Detractors panned

  • unlikable characters and mean-spirited tone
  • fails to capitalize on promising comedic premise
  • pacing and editing feel choppy or slow

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

strong ensemble commits to absurd roles; Midler over-the-top, DeVito underplays, Fichtner steals scenes

DialogueDivisive65

edgy, quotable, and witty; detractors call it stale or unfunny

OriginalityDivisive60

derivative of earlier dark comedies but has its own oddball identity

HumorDivisive55

dark, farcical, and often offensive; fans laugh frequently, detractors see flat gags

Plot and storyDivisive42

everyone-is-a-suspect whodunit with thin mystery and obvious resolution

CharactersDivisive35

grotesque, mostly unlikable caricatures; fans enjoy the weirdness, detractors find them repulsive

PacingDivisive35

slow edits, uneven rhythm, loses steam in middle

Ending30

unsatisfying fizzle; killer reveal obvious and anticlimactic

Preferred by

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

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

Watch experience

What is Drowning Mona 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 that leaves you smiling.

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

Feel-good.

Moods
AbsurdTense
Heaviest: middle
Dark humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its absurd murder premise and eccentric townsfolk with a deadpan, satirical seriousness, never winking at the audience but letting the comedy emerge from the bizarre situation.
The rideThe film balances a tense murder investigation with absurd, comic undertones, peaking mid-story as suspects multiply.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional three-act structure, with linear investigation punctuated by flashbacks to reveal motives.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe absurd mystery and quirky characters provide entertainment, but the underlying cruelty and contempt everyone held for Mona leaves a slight disquiet.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by a police chief investigating the suspicious death of a universally hated woman, with the entire town as suspects, fitting a classic whodunit with a closed-circle of locals.

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 filmsSelfJusticeMorality
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% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores justice through the investigation of a death where nearly everyone had motive, while also examining the bonds and secrets of a small town.
StanceThe film interrogates justice by suggesting everyone in town might be guilty, examining collective complicity.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernFolkSupportive music · original score · Michael Tavera
SettingA small American town where everyone knows everyone and everyone had a reason to want Mona dead.
MusicComposer Michael Tavera provides a score that blends folksy small-town motifs with comedic cues.

Content guide

Is Drowning Mona okay for kids?

PG-13

Drowning Mona is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements, language and brief sexuality” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at moderate (40/100), language at moderate (59/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (56/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Its language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Canada18A
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • CzechiaU
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 28%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 74%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (50 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 Drowning Mona have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Drowning Mona?

Cast

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

Danny DeVito
as Chief Rash
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.
Bette Midler
as Mona Dearly
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Neve Campbell
as Ellen
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Jamie Lee Curtis
as Rona
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.
Casey Affleck
as Bobby
newcomer then · star now
William Fichtner
as Phil Dearly
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Marcus Thomas
as Jeff Dearly
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Peter Dobson
as Feege
Kathleen Wilhoite
as Lucinda
Tracey Walter
as Clarence
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Drowning Mona?

Movies like Drowning Mona include Clay Pigeons (1998), The Last Supper (1995) and My Cousin Vinny (1992). Of the 12 closest matches, all are films set in a small town, and most are investigation stories.

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

5 of these 12 share its story type: whodunit. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Drowning Mona?

932 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: closed circle. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.