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Sneakers

Sneakers

We could tell you what it's about. But then, of course, we'd have to kill you.

1992126 minPG-13Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Director
Phil Alden Robinson
Starring
Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, David Strathairn, Dan Aykroyd

When shadowy U.S. intelligence agents blackmail a reformed computer hacker and his eccentric team of security experts into stealing a code-breaking 'black box' from a Soviet-funded genius, they uncover a bigger conspiracy. Now, he and his 'sneakers' must save themselves and the world economy by retrieving the box from their blackmailers.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Sneakers?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Sneakers?

Sneakers earns 8 badges, led by Top 10% in Comedy and Word-of-mouth hit.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Sneakers worth watching?

Sneakers' Midcredits score is the 86th percentile of all films, from 126K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

86th percentile

Better received than 86% of films

91st percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)85th

71 /100

83rd percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 1990s

Critics 65 · Audience 72

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy86th percentile among 1990s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 80% · Audience 80%

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

Awards

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

95th percentile

126K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$23M
Opening weekend$10M
Domestic gross$51M
Worldwide gross$105M

Returned 4.6× its budget — 96th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A great cast and clever premise can't fully overcome the dated technology and uneven pacing.

Fans praised

  • stellar cast with great chemistry and charm
  • cleverly written script with witty dialogue and humor
  • tight direction balancing suspense and comedy

Detractors panned

  • implausible tech and plot holes
  • overlong with filler scenes
  • dud despite great cast

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

ensemble charisma, especially Redford and Poitier

Dialogue75

witty, deadpan one-liners and quotable lines

HumorDivisive75

deadpan humor, Aykroyd's lines land

Characters70

quirky, likable hacker crew with weak depth

Originality70

ahead of its time on tech themes, but formulaic caper

Tension70

suspenseful heists, though some lulls

Plot and story65

clever caper but predictable and implausible

Pacing55

sags in middle, would benefit from trimming

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 18 points higher than under-30s.

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

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Sneakers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It has a few laughs and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingWarmContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its heist plot with a light, playful touch but never winks at the audience; it's a sincere adventure comedy.
The rideThe mood is a steady blend of clever tension and friendly camaraderie, sustaining a moderate intensity from the opening heist to the final confrontation.
StructureConventional linear narrative with a clear setup, confrontation, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer grinning, having enjoyed a clever, lighthearted caper with a satisfying resolution.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).Quest
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% (this title) · 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%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Treasure hunt: Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe team is hired to steal a top-secret device, then later must steal it again to clear their names—a classic heist with an infiltration component.

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 filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • 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% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • 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%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of filmsDeception · 9% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores who deserves access to absolute power and the ethics of privacy versus security, all while testing the loyalty of the team under a web of lies.
StanceThe film questions who should control technology that can break all privacy, without endorsing a simple answer, while presenting the team as a collective protagonist.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · James Horner
Settingearly-1990s San Francisco tech scene and government-adjacent espionage world
MusicA jaunty, synthesizer-infused orchestral score that evokes 1990s tech-thriller energy.

Content guide

Is Sneakers okay for kids?

PG-13

Sneakers is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for brief sexual references” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (46/100), sexual content at mild (30/100), language at moderate (55/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (14/100) and frightening material at moderate (39/100). Overall it is heavier than 42% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Brazil14
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark15
  • Netherlands12
  • SK15
  • Spain7
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 28% of all filmsHeavier than 42% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 49%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 52%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 78%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 14%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 40%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 78% of PG-13-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 Sneakers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Sneakers?

Cast

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

Robert Redford
as Bishop
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.
Sidney Poitier
as Crease
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.
David Strathairn
as Whistler
Dan Aykroyd
as Mother
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.
River Phoenix
as Carl
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Ben Kingsley
as Cosmo
Denise Dowse
as Bank Teller
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Timothy Busfield
as Dick Gordon
Mary McDonnell
as Liz
Donal Logue
as Dr. Gunter Janek
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Sneakers?

Movies like Sneakers include The War Wagon (1967), Topkapi (1964) and Ocean's Twelve (2004). Of the 12 closest matches, most are heist films, and most are films about loyalty.

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

All 12 share its feel: playful. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

17 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: hacker. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.