Skip to content
MovieCove
Icarus

Icarus

Truth is the new banned substance.

2017120 minTV-MAMidcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Director
Bryan Fogel
Starring
Alex Mihailovich

While investigating the furtive world of illegal doping in sports, director Bryan Fogel connects with renegade Russian scientist Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov—a pillar of his country’s “anti-doping” program. Over dozens of Skype calls, urine samples, and badly administered hormone injections, Fogel and Rodchenkov grow closer despite shocking allegations that place Rodchenkov at the center of Russia’s state-sponsored Olympic doping program.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Icarus?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Icarus streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Icarus?

Icarus earns 5 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Top 5% of films.

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

Reception

Is Icarus worth watching?

Icarus' Midcredits score is the 98th percentile of all films, from 137K ratings across 6 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

98th percentile

Better received than 98% of films

95th percentile among Documentary98th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)95th
Approval (how many liked it)98th

78 /100

95th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Documentary95th percentile among 2010s

Critics 68 · 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.

90% liked it

98th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Documentary98th percentile among 2010s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Critics 92% · Audience 93%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

1 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 7 wins / 13 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Documentary Feature
  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Documentary

Reach

How many have seen it

93rd percentile

137K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Documentary93rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The documentary captures a remarkable real-life story where a filmmaker's doping experiment accidentally uncovers a massive state-run doping conspiracy.

Fans praised

  • Unintentional real-life thriller as the project morphs from a personal doping experiment into a geopolitical exposé
  • Grigory Rodchenkov's charismatic, layered personality makes him an unforgettable documentary protagonist
  • Eye-opening revelations of Russia's state-sponsored doping system backed by voluminous evidence

Detractors panned

  • Perceived as one-sided anti-Russian propaganda rather than balanced investigative journalism
  • Unconvincing origin story — implausible that a top Russian lab director would openly help an amateur filmmaker
  • Director's amateurish storytelling and self-insertion undermine credibility

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive85

Accidental documentary captures real-time geopolitical scandal

Plot and storyDivisive83

Unpredictable shift from personal experiment to international thriller

CharactersDivisive80

Rodchenkov's charismatic, morally complex whistleblower arc

TensionDivisive80

Gripping suspense as danger escalates for Rodchenkov

Emotional impactDivisive72

Raises anger at corruption and fear for whistleblower's safety

AtmosphereDivisive70

Slow-burn immersion in paranoid world of elite sport corruption

EndingDivisive65

Resonant but open-ended; Russia's partial ban leaves bitter aftertaste

PacingDivisive50

Uneven — meandering first act then gripping thriller

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Icarus like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

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

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseDreadContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with a straight face, presenting a personal journey that escalates into a global conspiracy with a detached, investigative stance.
The rideBegins as investigative experiment, builds tension as Rodchenkov becomes endangered, climaxes with chilling revelations and uncertainty.
StructureThe documentary unfolds linearly from the personal experiment to the revelation of the scandal and its aftermath.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a deep unease and a lingering critique of institutional power, the questions it raises unresolved.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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).
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%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThe film is a documentary that starts as a personal doping experiment and transforms into an investigation of a state-sponsored doping conspiracy; the story is driven by the act of exposing hidden truths.

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 filmsSelfDeception
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% (this title) · 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% (this title)
  • 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%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsCorruption · 3% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film exposes elaborate deception at state level in sports doping and interrogates whether justice can catch up.
StancePresents state-sponsored doping as a massive, ongoing threat to athletic integrity and truth, with real-world consequences.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Adam Peters
SettingRussian national anti-doping laboratory and international cycling events
MusicUnderstated orchestral score builds tension without over-dramatizing real events.

Content guide

Is Icarus okay for kids?

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland16
  • RO18
  • Türkiye16+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Icarus have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Icarus?

Cast

Alex Mihailovich
as Reporter

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Icarus?

Movies like Icarus include The Armstrong Lie (2013), One Day in September (1999) and The Dissident (2020). Of the 6 closest matches, half are sports films, and half are films about corruption.

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

Explore by

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

4.8K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: exposé. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.