Skip to content
MovieCove
Sergio

Sergio

In a world of conflict, he risked everything for peace.

2020118 minRMidcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Director
Greg Barker
Starring
Wagner Moura, Ana de Armas, Garret Dillahunt, Will Dalton

A sweeping drama set in the chaotic aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq, where the life of top UN diplomat Brazilian Sérgio Vieira de Mello hangs in the balance during the most treacherous mission of his career.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Sergio?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Sergio streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Sergio?

Sergio earns 7 badges, led by Award Winner and Bittersweet.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Sergio worth watching?

Sergio's Midcredits score is the 54th percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 2 sources. 48% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

54th percentile

Better received than 54% of films

29th percentile among Biography55th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)57th
Approval (how many liked it)49th

64 /100

57th percentile of all films

36th percentile among Biography58th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

48% liked it

49th percentile of all films

24th percentile among Biography51st percentile among 2020s
48% rated it 7–1052% rated it 1–6

Awards

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

81st percentile

12K ratings across platforms

61st percentile among Biography81st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$16M

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film prioritizes a romantic relationship over a detailed exploration of the diplomat's professional achievements, which defines its identity as a love story with political backdrop.

Fans praised

  • Moura and de Armas have strong on-screen chemistry and deliver heartfelt performances
  • Effective flashback structure mirrors protagonist's memory and adds emotional depth
  • Romantic core makes the humanitarian story feel personal and moving

Detractors panned

  • Overemphasizes love story at expense of geopolitical substance and diplomat's career
  • Non-linear editing feels disjointed and disrupts narrative flow
  • Pacing is slow and fails to build tension or sustained engagement

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Wagner Moura and Ana de Armas praised for chemistry and emotional commitment; some critics find Moura stiff

Emotional impactDivisive55

Romance and death scene evoke tears for fans; detractors call it melodramatic

EndingDivisive40

Resolution felt emotionally satisfying to fans but anticlimactic and overlong to others

CharactersDivisive35

Sergio's character depth limited by romance focus, side characters underdeveloped

Dialogue35

Dialogue criticized as clichéd and overly sentimental

Plot and storyDivisive30

Storyline leans heavily on romance, lacks political intrigue and dramatic stakes

Originality30

Formulaic biopic structure, love story feels generic

PacingDivisive28

Slow tempo and excessive flashbacks cause drag and loss of momentum

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 16 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 17 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Sergio like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. 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

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film treats its tragic subject with solemn respect, playing it straight while allowing tenderness in the romantic interludes.
The rideThe film builds tension through Sergio's career dangers and the bombing climax, with a melancholic undercurrent from his personal regrets, and hope comes from his relationship; the emotional weight peaks in the life-or-death struggle.
StructureThe film moves between Sergio's present struggle under the rubble and chronological flashbacks to his earlier assignments and romance.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the weight of a life cut short and the beauty of what was loved, making it both sad and inspiring.
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).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% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • 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. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows a UN diplomat trapped in a bombing who reflects on his career and relationship, ending with his death — a classic arc of a life destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

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 filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · 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% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% (this title) · 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%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines a diplomat whose life of purpose in crisis zones is weighed against his personal desires for love and family, especially when a final mission nearly costs him everything.
StanceThe film examines Sergio's life of service against his personal costs, questioning whether his purpose and ambition came at the expense of love and family, without fully endorsing either side.

The world

Early 21st centuryInstitutionalUrbanIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Fernando Velázquez
SettingBaghdad, Iraq, in the early years of the US occupation, plus flashbacks to other UN postings like East Timor and Cambodia
MusicVelázquez's score likely underscores the tension of the collapse and the poignancy of Sergio's memories.

Content guide

Is Sergio okay for kids?

R

Sergio is rated R: “Rated R for language, some bloody images and a scene of sexuality” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (54/100), sexual content at moderate (59/100), language at moderate (43/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at moderate (43/100). Overall it is heavier than 15% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Germany12
  • Brazil16
  • Hungary16
  • SingaporeNC16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 41% of all filmsHeavier than 15% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 30%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 72%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 15%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 20%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 27%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 72% of R-rated 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 Sergio have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Sergio?

Cast

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

Wagner Moura
as Sergio Vieira de Mello
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.
Ana de Armas
as Carolina Larriera
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Garret Dillahunt
as Msg. Bill von Zehle
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Will Dalton
as Sgt. Andre Valentine
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bradley Whitford
as Paul Bremer
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Brían F. O'Byrne
as Gil Loescher
Clemens Schick
as Gaby Pichon
Clarisse Abujamra
as Gilda Vieira de Mello
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Pedro Hossi
as General Xanana Gusmão
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Sahajak Boonthanakit
as Ieng Sary

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Sergio?

Movies like Sergio include Truth (2015), Saptha Sagaradaache Ello - Side A (2023) and I Am Michael (2015). Of the 12 closest matches, most are biopics, and several are political films.

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

8 of these 12 share its praise for acting. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

560 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: politician. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.