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Pearl

Pearl

An X-traordinary origin story.

2022103 minRMidcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Director
Ti West
Starring
Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland

Trapped on her family’s isolated farm, Pearl must tend to her ailing father under the bitter and overbearing watch of her devout mother. Lusting for a glamorous life like she’s seen in the movies, Pearl’s ambitions, temptations, and repressions collide.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Pearl?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Pearl streaming on HBO Max, Hulu, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Pearl?

Pearl earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Pearl worth watching?

Pearl's Midcredits score is the 85th percentile of all films, from 2.3M ratings across 6 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

85th percentile

Better received than 85% of films

87th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)80th

73 /100

86th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 2020s

Critics 76 · Audience 72

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Drama80th percentile among 2020s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 93% · Audience 83%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 18 wins / 62 noms overall

88th percentile

2.3M ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Drama89th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$3.1M
Domestic gross$9.4M
Worldwide gross$9.8M

85th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a slow-burn character study driven almost entirely by Mia Goth's performance, with striking visuals but a slim narrative.

Fans praised

  • Mia Goth's tour-de-force performance, especially the extended monologue
  • Vivid Technicolor cinematography and period-specific visual style
  • Effective character study of a sympathetic yet monstrous protagonist

Detractors panned

  • Extremely slow pacing with boring, uneventful stretches
  • Thin, predictable plot that doesn't justify its runtime
  • Overly self-indulgent, lacking genuine scares or horror payoff

What stands out

ActingDivisive88

Mia Goth's revelatory lead performance, especially in the monologue

Cinematography85

Stunning Technicolor-influenced visual palette

CharactersDivisive72

Complex, sympathetic yet monstrous Pearl but underdeveloped supporting cast

AtmosphereDivisive72

Unsettling blend of sunny farm life and creeping dread

OriginalityDivisive55

Fresh take blending technicolor homage with psychological horror, but derivative structure

EndingDivisive55

Haunting final smile and monologue but abrupt conclusion

Plot and storyDivisive40

Thin, predictable story with little narrative momentum

PacingDivisive25

Polarizing slow-burn that many find painfully dull

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Pearl like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadMelancholicBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Register
Dreamlike · 2% of films: Logic gives way to atmosphere and association.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its disturbed protagonist with earnest, sympathetic seriousness while employing a stylized, dreamlike visual palette that heightens the psychological horror.
The rideThe film maintains a pervasive dread, punctuated by an extended climax that shifts into a horrific euphoria, leaving the heaviest emotional impact for the final act.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Pearl's trapped life to her violent crisis, following a conventional beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayPearl's psychological depth and Mia Goth's performance leave a lasting sense of unease and pathos.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic 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).Tragedy
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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · 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%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypePearl's descent into murder is a step-by-step moral decay driven by thwarted dreams and psychological predisposition, fitting tragedy's corruption arc.

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% · 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% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • 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 filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themePearl's desperate craving for stardom and love is rooted in a fractured sense of self-worth, leading her to lash out violently against anyone who denies her validation.
StanceThe film presents Pearl's obsessive self-worth as a destructive force, warning of the consequences when someone is denied the validation they crave.

The world

Early 20th centuryRuralDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Tyler Bates
SettingA isolated Texas farm during the Spanish Flu pandemic.
MusicThe score underscores the eerie, dreamlike quality of Pearl's world while building toward the violent climax.

Content guide

Is Pearl okay for kids?

R

Pearl is rated R: “Rated R for some strong violence, gore, strong sexual content and graphic nudity” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (88/100), sexual content at moderate (54/100), language at mild (16/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at severe (83/100). Overall it is heavier than 64% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany18
  • France12
  • Ireland16
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • Argentina+16
  • FinlandK-16
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway18
  • Spain16
  • TH18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 79% of all filmsHeavier than 64% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 81%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 64%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 2%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 83%

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

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. 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 Pearl have?

MovieCove's classifier found 6 depicted content warnings in Pearl: Domestic violence (severe), Animal cruelty (moderate), Animal death (moderate), Addiction or relapse (mild), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory: War atrocities. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereDomestic violence
ModerateAnimal crueltyAnimal death
MildAddiction or relapse
MentionedWar atrocities

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Pearl?

Cast

At least 2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Mia Goth
as Pearl
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.
David Corenswet
as Projectionist
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tandi Wright
as Ruth
Matthew Sunderland
as Father
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.
Emma Purro
as Mitsy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Alistair Sewell
as Howard
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Amelia Reid
as Margaret
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Lauren Stewart
as Pianist
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Todd Rippon
as Director
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Gabe McDonnell
as Woman

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Pearl?

Movies like Pearl include X (2022), MaXXXine (2024) and The Reflecting Skin (1990). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Ti West, and several are films set on a farm.

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

5 of these 12 share its world: farming country. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

569 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: origin story. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.