Skip to content
MovieCove
Maggie's Plan

Maggie's Plan

201598 minRMidcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Director
Rebecca Miller
Starring
Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Bill Hader

Maggie's plan to have a baby on her own with a sperm donor is derailed when she falls in love with John, an older married professor, destroying his volatile marriage to the brilliant and impossible Georgette. But three years later, married to John with one daughter, Maggie is out of love and in a quandary: what do you do when you suspect your man and his ex-wife are actually perfect for each other?

Where to watch

Where can I watch Maggie's Plan?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Maggie's Plan streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and 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 Maggie's Plan?

Maggie's Plan earns 4 badges, led by Critics' darling and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Maggie's Plan worth watching?

Maggie's Plan's Midcredits score is the 49th percentile of all films, from 50K ratings across 6 sources. 45% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

49th percentile

Better received than 49% of films

56th percentile among Comedy50th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)53rd
Approval (how many liked it)45th

62 /100

53rd percentile of all films

60th percentile among Comedy53rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 76 · Audience 61

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.2 — solid but not unanimous.

45% liked it

45th percentile of all films

50th percentile among Comedy44th percentile among 2010s
45% rated it 7–1055% rated it 1–6

Critics 86% · Audience 52%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 8 noms overall

94th percentile

49K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$63K
Domestic gross$3.4M
Worldwide gross$5.9M

66th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A talky, quirky Woody Allen-esque New York romantic comedy built around self-absorbed academic characters and a contrived love triangle.

Fans praised

  • Gerwig's charming, natural performance as a quirky but relatable protagonist
  • Smart, witty dialogue and script with satirical academic humor
  • Strong ensemble cast, especially Moore's scene-stealing comedic turn

Detractors panned

  • Unlikable, manipulative characters with no emotional depth
  • Pretentious Woody Allen imitation with forced quirkiness and poor pacing
  • Incoherent plot with contrived, unbelievable situations

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Gerwig charming but repetitive; Moore steals scenes as Danish academic

DialogueDivisive72

Clever, rapid-fire academic satire undermined by talkiness

HumorDivisive60

Witty chuckles but no laugh-out-loud moments; cringey at times

Plot and storyDivisive55

Contrived, predictable love triangle with disjointed time jumps

PacingDivisive55

Breezy in parts but often slow and repetitive; 98-minute runtime

CharactersDivisive50

Highly unlikable, self-absorbed; protagonists lack relatable motivations

Emotional impactDivisive50

Weightless, emotionally detached despite serious themes

OriginalityDivisive45

Derivative of Woody Allen and Noah Baumbach; formulaic rom-com structure

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Maggie's Plan 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 is gentle, has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good. 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
HopefulRomanticMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
PlayfulSatirical · 5% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its characters' romantic entanglements with a playful, satirical eye, yet retains a warmth toward their follies.
The rideThe film maintains a light, observational tone with emotional peaks when romantic entanglements and family dynamics come to the fore.
StructureStory moves chronologically over a few years, with a clear setup, complication, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with a sense of happiness and resolution, but the journey includes moments of melancholy and uncertainty.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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).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% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1% (this title)
  • 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 manners: Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeMaggie orchestrates a scheme to reunite her husband with his ex-wife, playing matchmaker and manipulating events, all set within a satirical portrait of New York intellectual life.

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 filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · 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% (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

Romantic love · 15% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the complications of modern romance, the desire for motherhood outside traditional partnerships, and how love and family are redefined in messy, non-linear ways.
StanceThe film observes the complexities of modern love and parenthood with a wry, affectionate eye, neither fully celebrating nor condemning the characters' choices.

The world

ContemporaryRealistic
PopFolkSupportive music · hybrid
SettingMaggie's life in contemporary Brooklyn and Manhattan, juggling work as a career advisor and personal schemes.

Content guide

Is Maggie's Plan okay for kids?

R

Maggie's Plan is rated R: “Rated R for language and some sexuality” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (11/100), sexual content at moderate (38/100), language at intense (72/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (22/100) and frightening material at mild (22/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany0
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • AustriaAA
  • DenmarkA
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceΚ-12
  • Hong KongIIB
  • LTN-13
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Poland12
  • SK12
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 33%
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (31 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 Maggie's Plan have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Maggie's Plan?

Cast

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

Greta Gerwig
as Maggie
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ethan Hawke
as John
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.
Julianne Moore
as Georgette
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.
Bill Hader
as Tony
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Maya Rudolph
as Felicia
Travis Fimmel
as Guy
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Mina Sundwall
as Justine
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jackson Frazer
as Paul
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ida Rohatyn
as Lily
Wallace Shawn
as Kliegler
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Maggie's Plan?

Movies like Maggie's Plan include Friends with Kids (2011), On the Rocks (2020) and Over Her Dead Body (2008). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Rebecca Miller, and several are comedies of manners.

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

10 of these 12 share its subject: romantic love. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Maggie's Plan?

1.3K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: teacher. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.