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Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

The secret of life? The secret's in the sauce.

1991130 minPG-13Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Director
Jon Avnet
Starring
Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary-Louise Parker, Mary Stuart Masterson

Amidst her own personality crisis, a southern housewife meets an outgoing old woman who tells her the story of Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison, two young women who experienced hardships and love in 1920s Whistle Stop, Alabama.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Fried Green Tomatoes?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Fried Green Tomatoes to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Fried Green Tomatoes?

Fried Green Tomatoes earns 10 badges, led by Stood the test of time and Top 5% of films.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Fried Green Tomatoes worth watching?

Fried Green Tomatoes' Midcredits score is the 96th percentile of all films, from 261K ratings across 6 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

96th percentile

Better received than 96% of films

97th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)94th
Approval (how many liked it)95th

77 /100

94th percentile of all films

95th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 1990s

Critics 64 · Audience 78

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

85% liked it

95th percentile of all films

95th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 1990s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Critics 77% · Audience 89%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 12 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

97th percentile

261K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama95th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$11M
Opening weekend$105K
Domestic gross$82M
Worldwide gross$119M

Returned 10.9× its budget — 97th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A story about the deep friendship and bond between two Southern women in the 1920s-30s, told through flashbacks.

Fans praised

  • Exceptional performances from the four female leads (Bates, Tandy, Masterson, Parker)
  • Beautiful, immersive storytelling with heartfelt themes of friendship and empowerment
  • Warm nostalgic atmosphere and strong sense of time and place in the Deep South

Detractors panned

  • One-dimensional, stereotypical characters (abusive husband, tomboy, meek wife)
  • Manipulative and predictable plot that relies on tearjerking tropes
  • Present-day framing story feels disconnected and drags the film down

What stands out

Acting85

Four leads and supporting cast universally praised for depth and chemistry

AtmosphereDivisive80

Warm nostalgic immersion in 1920s-30s rural Alabama

Emotional impactDivisive75

Deeply moving and tear-jerking for fans, manipulative for detractors

DialogueDivisive70

Warm, witty Southern storytelling with quotable lines ('Towanda', 'Secret's in the sauce')

CharactersDivisive65

Loved as endearing and memorable, hated as one-dimensional caricatures

Plot and storyDivisive60

Heartwarming and engaging for fans, predictable and manipulative for detractors

PacingDivisive55

Leisurely Southern storytelling that some find slow and dragging

OriginalityDivisive40

Formulaic feel-good feminist drama with predictable tropes

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 10 points higher than men.

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

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

Watch experience

What is Fried Green Tomatoes 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 takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you hopeful. 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
BittersweetHopefulWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
WarmTender · 13% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film treats its characters and their struggles with genuine warmth and tenderness, never ironic or condescending.
The rideThe film maintains a steady blend of poignant memories and uplifting transformation across both timelines.
StructureThe story alternates between Evelyn's present-day visits to Ninny and extended flashbacks to Idgie and Ruth's lives in the 1920s-30s.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you inspired by the women's resilience and heartened by the bond they share, reinforcing a belief in change and connection.
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

Why this archetypeThe film traces Evelyn's journey from self-doubt to empowerment through Ninny's stories, while Idgie heals from grief and finds purpose through her bond with Ruth.

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 filmsSelfSelf-worth
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% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% (this title) · 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%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsMemory · 3% 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 themeEvelyn's journey to reclaim her self-esteem is mirrored by Idgie and Ruth's defiant friendship that defies social norms.
StanceThe film celebrates self-worth and female friendship as transformative forces, presenting them as vital and affirming.

The world

Early 20th centuryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalFolkSupportive music · original score · Thomas Newman
Settingsmall-town Alabama and Georgia, 1920s-1980s, centered on a cafe and a nursing home
MusicNewman's score features gentle, melodic themes that underscore the film's warmth and nostalgia.

Content guide

Is Fried Green Tomatoes okay for kids?

PG-13

Fried Green Tomatoes is rated PG-13. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at mild (28/100), language at moderate (52/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (49/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). Overall it is heavier than 67% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • UKPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland6
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 42% of all filmsHeavier than 67% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 50%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 48%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 73%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 91%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 66%

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 66% 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 Fried Green Tomatoes have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Fried Green Tomatoes?

Cast

Kathy Bates
as Evelyn Couch
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jessica Tandy
as Ninny Threadgoode
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mary-Louise Parker
as Ruth Jamison
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mary Stuart Masterson
as Idgie Threadgoode
Cicely Tyson
as Sipsey
Stan Shaw
as Big George
Chris O'Donnell
as Buddy Threadgoode
newcomer then · star now
Gailard Sartain
as Ed Couch
Timothy Scott
as Smokey Lonesome
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Gary Basaraba
as Grady Kilgore

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Fried Green Tomatoes?

Movies like Fried Green Tomatoes include Forrest Gump (1994), Rambling Rose (1991) and The Grass Harp (1995). Of the 12 closest matches, most are found-family stories, and several are films about friendship.

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

10 of these 12 share its subject: self-worth. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Fried Green Tomatoes?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: protector on a journey. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.