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Mindhorn

Mindhorn

It's truth time!

201689 minTV-MAMidcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Director
Sean Foley
Starring
Julian Barratt, Simon Farnaby, Essie Davis, Steve Coogan

A washed up actor best known for playing the title character in the 1980s detective show "Mindhorn" must work with the police when a serial killer says that he will only speak with Detective Mindhorn, whom he believes to be real.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Mindhorn?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Mindhorn on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Mindhorn?

Mindhorn earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Mindhorn worth watching?

Mindhorn's Midcredits score is the 55th percentile of all films, from 33K ratings across 6 sources. 50% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

55th percentile

Better received than 55% of films

70th percentile among Action55th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)56th
Approval (how many liked it)52nd

63 /100

56th percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Action56th percentile among 2010s

Critics 70 · Audience 63

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

50% liked it

52nd percentile of all films

66th percentile among Action52nd percentile among 2010s
50% rated it 7–1050% rated it 1–6

Critics 92% · Audience 60%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

79th percentile

33K ratings across platforms

67th percentile among Action81st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$816K

33rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A knowingly silly, low-budget British comedy that lovingly pastiches 80s detective shows with over-the-top performances.

Fans praised

  • Consistently funny with rapid-fire gags and visual comedy
  • Julian Barratt's committed comedic performance as the delusional has-been actor
  • Affectionate spoof of 80s British detective shows with authentic period detail

Detractors panned

  • Unoriginal premise recycled from Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and other Britcoms
  • Tedious, predictable plot with an unsatisfying rushed conclusion
  • Cringe humor that feels depressing rather than funny, with a deeply unlikeable protagonist

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Cast commits fully to absurdity; Barratt's deluded charisma praised, some find mugging grating

HumorDivisive72

Slapstick, visual gags, and spoof references land for fans; detractors find it cringey or stale

DialogueDivisive55

Plenty of one-liners and banter, but few memorable quotes; some call it unoriginal

PacingDivisive50

Brisk 89-minute runtime but sags in middle; some say overextended for its premise

Plot and storyDivisive40

Generic washed-up-actor storyline with predictable beats and unresolved subplots

OriginalityDivisive35

Derivative of Alan Partridge, Hot Fuzz, and Austin Powers; premise feels recycled

EndingDivisive35

Abrupt conclusion that feels rushed; villains unresolved for many detractors

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 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Mindhorn 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 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

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
JoyfulAbsurdWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Satirical humor
Register
PlayfulSatirical · 5% of filmsDeadpan · 1% of films: Delivered flat and unsmiling, which is the joke.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its absurd premise straight while winking at the audience, fully aware it's spoofing 80s detective shows.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently light, absurd, and affectionate mood from start to finish, never taking itself seriously.
StructureConventional beginning-middle-end structure with a prologue in the 1980s and the main story in the present day.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you entertained and smiling, with no heavy emotional residue—just a warm, silly, feel-good glow.
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).ComedyFarce
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% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

11% of films fit this archetype

with Voyage and return underneath

Why this archetypeA has-been actor dons his old costume to impersonate his fictional TV detective character in order to catch a delusional criminal, leading to escalating absurd chaos.

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 filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · 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% (this title) · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFame · 3% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how a man defined by a past TV role struggles to reconcile his inflated self-image with his diminished reality.
StanceThe film mocks its protagonist's inflated sense of identity and the entire culture of nostalgia around 80s TV shows, but does so affectionately.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingIsle of Man, present day, with flashbacks to 1980s TV production in London
MusicThe score parodies 80s detective show music with a cheeky, retro feel.

Content guide

Is Mindhorn okay for kids?

TV-MA

Mindhorn is rated TV-MA. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at mild (28/100), language at moderate (58/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (56/100) and frightening material at minimal (4/100). Its drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 13% of TV-MA films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • Ireland15
  • ItalyVM14
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 33% of all filmsHeavier than 13% of TV-MA films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a TV-MA film
heavier than 18%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA film
heavier than 26%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA film
heavier than 44%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 44% of TV-MA 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 Mindhorn have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Mindhorn?

Cast

Julian Barratt
as Richard Thorncroft
Simon Farnaby
as Clive Parnevik
Essie Davis
as Patricia Deville
Steve Coogan
as Peter Easterman
Richard McCabe
as Jeffrey Moncrieff
Andrea Riseborough
as DS Elena Baines
Russell Tovey
as Paul Melly
David Schofield
as Chief Inspector Derek Newsome
Jessye Romeo
as Agent's Secretary
Harriet Walter
as Richard's Agent

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Mindhorn?

Movies like Mindhorn include The Comeback Trail (2020), Murder at the Gallop (1963) and Alan Partridge (2013). Of the 12 closest matches, most are farces, and most are films that feel absurd.

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

8 of these 12 share its feel: satire. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

972 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: unrequited love. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.