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Due Date

Due Date

Leave your comfort zone.

201095 minRMidcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Director
Todd Phillips
Starring
Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx

Peter Highman must scramble across the US in five days to be present for the birth of his first child. He gets off to a bad start when his wallet and luggage are stolen, and put on the 'no-fly' list. Peter embarks on a terrifying journey when he accepts a ride from an actor.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Due Date?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Due Date streaming on Cinemax via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Due Date?

Due Date earns 7 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Summer blockbuster.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Due Date worth watching?

Due Date's Midcredits score is the 59th percentile of all films, from 644K ratings across 6 sources. 57% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

59th percentile

Better received than 59% of films

67th percentile among Comedy59th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)54th
Approval (how many liked it)62nd

63 /100

54th percentile of all films

62nd percentile among Comedy54th percentile among 2010s

Critics 51 · Audience 64

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

57% liked it

62nd percentile of all films

69th percentile among Comedy62nd percentile among 2010s
57% rated it 7–1043% rated it 1–6

Critics 39% · Audience 52%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 7 noms overall

98th percentile

644K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 45% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$65M
Opening weekend$33M
Domestic gross$101M
Worldwide gross$212M

Returned 3.3× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

An odd-couple road comedy driven by the performances of Downey Jr. and Galifianakis, but derivative of better films and uneven in tone.

Fans praised

  • lead duo's comedic chemistry and performances
  • laugh-out-loud slapstick misadventures and dark humor
  • surprisingly heartfelt character journey

Detractors panned

  • derivative, inferior retread of Planes, Trains and Automobiles
  • mean-spirited, unlikable characters with no growth
  • jokes rely on crudeness and shock instead of wit

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

leads praised for chemistry and comic timing, but detractors find Downey miscast and Galifianakis one-note

HumorDivisive55

slapstick and mean-spirited; fans find it hilarious, detractors call it grating

Pacing55

some drags but overall keeps moving with set pieces

Dialogue50

some memorable lines but often rely on crude language

Emotional impactDivisive45

forced pathos and attempted heartwarming moments

Plot and story40

overly familiar road-trip structure, seen as a Planes Trains knockoff

CharactersDivisive35

unlikable, poorly developed; fans enjoy the dynamic but critics cite lack of empathy

Originality20

almost universally seen as derivative, especially of Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 15 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Due Date 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 never lets up and leaves you wistful. 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
AbsurdTenseWarm
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its absurd situations and character animosity straight, without winking at the audience, grounding the comedy in real frustration and occasional warmth.
The rideThe film alternates between absurd comic set-pieces and moments of frustration and tension, with the emotional core landing in the middle where the bond begins to form.
StructureThe story follows a linear beginning-middle-end structure as Peter and Ethan travel from Atlanta to Los Angeles.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Wistful.

Wistful · 8% of filmsHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayAfter the chaos, the film leaves a gentle sense of friendship forged and a father's relief, with a touch of longing for connection.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).Voyage
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% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% (this title) · 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%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Fish out of water: Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).

4% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

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

Why this archetypePeter is displaced from his controlled life into a chaotic cross-country journey with a stranger, and the ordeal forces a shift in his outlook, loosely aligning with both voyage and return and rebirth.

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 filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% (this title) · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · 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

Friendship · 9% of filmsParenthood · 2% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeAn unlikely friendship forms and deepens as two opposites are thrown together on a chaotic journey, while Peter's impending fatherhood and his own rigid sense of self are tested.
StanceThe film celebrates the value of an unlikely friendship that arises from forced proximity, ultimately affirming the bond between the two men despite their differences.

The world

ContemporaryIn transitUrbanRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Christophe Beck
SettingA cross-country road trip from Atlanta to Los Angeles.
MusicBeck's score provides light, comedic punctuation that underscores the film's tone without overwhelming the comedy.

Content guide

Is Due Date okay for kids?

R

Due Date is rated R: “Rated R for language, drug use and sexual content” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (46/100), sexual content at moderate (41/100), language at severe (88/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (69/100) and frightening material at mild (26/100). Overall it is heavier than 50% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandR16
  • JapanR15+
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium18
  • BGB
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-13
  • Greece15
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • SK15
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 70% of all filmsHeavier than 50% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 25%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 38%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 88%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 87%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 12%

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

The reason to think twice is language and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

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 Due Date have?

MovieCove's classifier found 2 depicted content warnings in Due Date: Child abuse (moderate), Gun violence (moderate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateChild abuseGun violence

Cast and crew

Who is in Due Date?

Cast

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

Robert Downey Jr.
as Peter Highman
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.
Zach Galifianakis
as Ethan Tremblay
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michelle Monaghan
as Sarah Highman
Jamie Foxx
as Darryl
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.
Juliette Lewis
as Heidi
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
RZA
as Airport Screener
Matt Walsh
as TSA Agent
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Brody Stevens
as Limo Driver
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jakob Ulrich
as Patrick
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Naiia Ulrich
as Alex

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Due Date?

Movies like Due Date include Road Trip (2000), Blockers (2018) and The Hangover (2009). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Todd Phillips, and half are fish-out-of-water stories.

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

7 of these 12 share its story type: road movie. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Due Date?

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: road movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.