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Same Time, Next Year

Same Time, Next Year

They couldn't have celebrated happier anniversaries if they were married to each other.

1978119 minPGMidcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Director
Robert Mulligan
Starring
Alan Alda, Ellen Burstyn, Ivan Bonar, Bernie Kuby

A man and woman meet by chance at a romantic inn over dinner and, although both are happily married to others, they find themselves in the same bed the next morning questioning how this could have happened. They agree to meet on the same weekend each year—in the same hotel room—and the years pass each has some personal crisis that the other helps them through, often without both of them understanding what is going on.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Same Time, Next Year?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Same Time, Next Year to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Same Time, Next Year?

Same Time, Next Year earns 10 badges, led by Award-winning performance and 10× return.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Same Time, Next Year worth watching?

Same Time, Next Year's Midcredits score is the 81st percentile of all films, from 11K ratings across 4 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

81st percentile

Better received than 81% of films

88th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)75th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

69 /100

75th percentile of all films

84th percentile among Comedy77th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.5 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 1970s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 40% · Audience 86%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 4 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 7 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actress in a Leading Role
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Cinematography

83rd percentile

11K ratings across platforms

81st percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 52% in 30 days

Box office

Domestic gross$20M
Worldwide gross$20M

82nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A two-character play about a decades-long extramarital affair that relies entirely on the chemistry of its leads and the passage of time to tell its story.

Fans praised

  • Natural on-screen chemistry between Alda and Burstyn grounds the relationship
  • Witty, sincere script that balances humor and emotional depth
  • Clever time-jump structure with nostalgic period photographs

Detractors panned

  • Glosses over the moral weight of adultery without real consequences
  • Stagebound feel and contrived character transformations feel jarring

What stands out

Acting85

Alda and Burstyn praised for chemistry; detractors find Alda mannered

Emotional impactDivisive82

Fans deeply moved; detractors see manipulation without genuine emotion

Dialogue78

Snappy, witty exchanges often praised; some find lines dated

CharactersDivisive75

Two well-drawn central figures; growth feels abrupt to some

OriginalityDivisive75

Novel premise but stage adaptation feels conventional

HumorDivisive72

Comedy lands through character banter; detractors find it forced

Plot and storyDivisive70

Affair spanning 25 years via annual meetings; premise polarizes

Sound and musicDivisive70

Love theme song and period stills evoke nostalgia; some find saccharine

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 15 points higher than men.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 18 points higher than critics.

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

  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Same Time, Next Year like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticBittersweetWarmMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
WarmRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film holds its material with warm affection, playing the romantic premise straight but allowing bittersweet reflection as time passes.
The rideThe film holds a consistent blend of romantic warmth and bittersweet awareness across the annual meetings, with no sharp emotional swings.
StructureThe story is told through the couple's annual meetings at the same inn, each year forming a discrete episode.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe viewer is left with a bittersweet appreciation for the fleeting nature of their love and the passage of time.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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 two-character study of an annual affair over 24 years, with no conventional plot archetype.

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% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% (this title) · 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%: 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 filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsAging · under 1% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe story explores the endurance and evolution of a secret romantic connection over decades, while each character's personal crises reflect changing identities and the passage of time.
StanceThe film affirms the value of a sustained secret love and the comfort the characters find in each other over the years.

The world

Mid 20th centuryDomesticRuralRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Marvin Hamlisch
Settinga romantic inn in a quiet American town, revisited annually for 24 years
MusicThe score underscores the tender, romantic atmosphere of the annual rendezvous.

Content guide

Is Same Time, Next Year okay for kids?

PG

Same Time, Next Year is rated PG. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at moderate (37/100), language at moderate (44/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at minimal (13/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • NetherlandsAL
Overall
Mild · 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
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (26 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 Same Time, Next Year have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Same Time, Next Year?

Cast

Ellen Burstyn won the Globe for this film.

Alan Alda
as George Peters
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Ellen Burstyn
as Doris
Globe win: Golden Globe — Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ivan Bonar
as Chalmers
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bernie Kuby
as Waiter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Cosmo Sardo
as Second Waiter
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 Northcutt
as Pilot #1
William Cantrell
as Pilot #2

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Same Time, Next Year?

Movies like Same Time, Next Year include Summer of '42 (1971), 5 to 7 (2014) and Before Midnight (2013). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Robert Mulligan, and several are chamber dramas.

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

9 of these 12 share its feel: romantic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Same Time, Next Year?

2.4K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: soulmates separated. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.