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Runoff

Runoff

201490 minRMidcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Director
Kimberly Levin
Starring
Joanne Kelly, Neal Huff, Alex Shaffer, Tom Bower

The beauty of the land cannot mask the brutality of a farm town. As harvest draws near, Betty confronts a terrifying new reality and will go to desperate lengths to save her family when they are threatened with being forced from their land.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Runoff?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Runoff streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Runoff?

Runoff earns 3 badges, led by Cult Classic and Thought-provoking.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Runoff worth watching?

Runoff's Midcredits score is the 50th percentile of all films, from 424 ratings across 5 sources. 52% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

50th percentile

Better received than 50% of films

49th percentile among Drama51st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)45th
Approval (how many liked it)55th

60 /100

45th percentile of all films

43rd percentile among Drama46th percentile among 2010s

Critics 64 · Audience 59

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

52% liked it

55th percentile of all films

54th percentile among Drama55th percentile among 2010s
52% rated it 7–1048% rated it 1–6

Critics 79% · Audience 78%

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

Awards

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

Reach

How many have seen it

36th percentile

407 ratings across platforms

37th percentile among Drama39th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 37% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$9.5K
Domestic gross$30K
Worldwide gross$30K

23rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow, meditative drama about a Kentucky farm family's moral compromises under financial pressure.

Fans praised

  • Joanne Kelly's natural, emotionally honest performance anchors the film
  • Cinematography captures Kentucky farmland with understated beauty
  • Provocative moral complexity without preachy agenda

Detractors panned

  • Murky sound mix and poor dialogue clarity undermine key scenes
  • Dull, slow pacing fails to build tension or drama
  • Underdeveloped characters and predictable corporate-vs-family conflicts

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive80

Beautifully shot Kentucky landscapes and intimate close-ups; detractors note occasional visual interest

ActingDivisive75

Joanne Kelly's raw, convincing lead performance widely praised; detractors find it unspectacular

AtmosphereDivisive70

Immersive rural Kentucky world-building; detractors find environment dull

Emotional impactDivisive65

Moral dilemmas resonate; detractors feel no investment

CharactersDivisive55

Realistic, flawed family roles praised; detractors say shallow and uncolorful

Plot and storyDivisive55

Intimate moral quandary praised; detractors find themes generic and sketchy

PacingDivisive50

Deliberate, meditative rhythm praised; detractors find it lethargic and dull

TensionDivisive50

Slow-burn suspense praised; detractors find no compelling stakes

Watch experience

What is Runoff like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material seriously, treating Betty's dilemma with solemn weight and avoiding melodrama, though the intense subject matter is played straight.
The rideReviews describe a sustained, brooding tension and a calm-before-the-storm quality that builds from early pressures through to the end.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the threat to the farm through Betty's difficult decision, following a conventional dramatic arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer grappling with Betty's moral compromise and the harsh realities of rural economic survival, prompting reflection long after the credits.
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).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

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeBetty's family farm faces financial ruin from corporate competition and her husband's illness, driving her to a desperate moral compromise. The story tracks her fall from principle under economic pressure, fitting a tragedy of circumstance.

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 filmsSelfSacrificeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · 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% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · 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

Sacrifice · 4% of filmsFamily bondsSurvival
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how far a mother will go to protect her family when faced with losing their land and her husband's illness.
StanceThe film questions how far one should sacrifice for family without preaching a clear answer, focusing closely on Betty's perspective.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Danny Bensi
Settinga family farm in rural Kentucky at harvest time
MusicThe score by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans likely underscores the film's meditative, tense tone.

Content guide

Is Runoff okay for kids?

R

Runoff is rated R: “Rated R for some drug use” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (6 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 Runoff have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Runoff?

Cast

Joanne Kelly
as Betty
Neal Huff
as Frank
Alex Shaffer
as Finley
Tom Bower
as Scratch
Joseph Melendez
as Paco
Darlene Hunt
as Paula
Brad Koed
as Stephen
Rashel Bestard
as Elena
Kivlighan de Montebello
as Sam
Brennan James Callan
as General Store Shopper

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Runoff?

Movies like Runoff include Graduation (2016), The Mosquito Coast (1986) and A Thousand Acres (1997). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set on a farm, and several are corruption arc stories.

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

7 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 Runoff?

5.2K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: marriage in crisis. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.