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Spider

Spider

The only thing worse than losing your mind... is finding it again.

200298 minRMidcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Director
David Cronenberg
Starring
Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne, Lynn Redgrave

A mentally disturbed man takes residence in a halfway house. His mind gradually slips back into the realm created by his illness, where he replays a key part of his childhood.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Spider?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Spider?

Spider earns 11 badges, led by Standout acting and Atmospheric.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Spider worth watching?

Spider's Midcredits score is the 74th percentile of all films, from 80K ratings across 6 sources. 64% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

74th percentile

Better received than 74% of films

77th percentile among Drama72nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)75th
Approval (how many liked it)71st

69 /100

75th percentile of all films

78th percentile among Drama74th percentile among 2000s

Critics 83 · Audience 67

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

64% liked it

71st percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Drama69th percentile among 2000s
64% rated it 7–1036% rated it 1–6

Critics 84% · Audience 68%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 9 wins / 21 noms overall

93rd percentile

80K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$10M
Opening weekend$5.6K
Domestic gross$1.6M
Worldwide gross$5.8M

Returned 0.6× its budget — 80th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Spider is a deliberately slow, bleak, and minimalist psychological character study about a schizophrenic man.

Fans praised

  • Ralph Fiennes' utterly convincing, nearly wordless portrayal of schizophrenia
  • Miranda Richardson's chameleonic triple role as mother/tart/landlady
  • Cronenberg's restrained, atmospheric direction that immerses the viewer in a fractured mind

Detractors panned

  • Excruciatingly slow pacing with long stretches where nothing happens
  • Mumbled, near-incomprehensible dialogue from Fiennes that alienates the viewer
  • Thin, predictable plot that doesn't justify feature length

What stands out

Acting90

Fiennes' muttering, shuffling physicality; Richardson's transformative dual/triple roles

Atmosphere85

Oppressively drab, dank, and claustrophobic; effectively conveys Spider's isolated world

OriginalityDivisive75

Refreshingly anti-Hollywood take on mental illness; unglamorous, non-linear narrative structure

CharactersDivisive65

Spider a compelling but frustratingly inaccessible protagonist; supporting roles thinly sketched

EndingDivisive45

Predictable twist; some found it fittingly bleak, others pointless

Plot and storyDivisive40

Simple Oedipal murder mystery; predictable twist; insufficient material for feature length

Dialogue20

Spider's incoherent mumbling; sparse dialogue from supporting characters

PacingDivisive15

Relentlessly slow, deliberately monotonous; described as watching paint dry

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Spider like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Mind-bender: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a puzzle and can give it your full attention.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

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

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Mind-bender.

Moods
DreadColdMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
The answer rests on this: Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneCronenberg treats Spider's fractured psyche with unflinching seriousness, rendering the film bleak and brooding without irony.
The rideA sustained, chilling atmosphere of dread and emotional chill from start to finish, with flashes of violence raising intensity.
StructureThe film cuts between the present-day late 1990s and the 1950s childhood, mirroring Spider's fractured memory.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's bleak depiction of madness and the protagonist's tragic fate lingers uneasily.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic 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 archetypeSpider's life is a tragedy of mental illness and childhood trauma, where he is destroyed by forces he cannot 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 filmsSelfTraumaSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · 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% (this title) · 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% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% (this title) · 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%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsMemory · 3% of filmsMental illness · 1% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film is centrally about how trauma distorts memory and unspools in the mind of a man struggling with severe mental illness.
StanceThe film mourns the damage trauma inflicts on a mind and the impossibility of escaping the past, focusing on one man's internal collapse.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Howard Shore
SettingEast End London, 1950s, and a halfway house for the mentally ill decades later
MusicShore's score is sparse and dissonant, underpinning the film's unease without overwhelming it.

Content guide

Is Spider okay for kids?

R

Spider is rated R: “Rated R for sexuality, brief violence and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (41/100), sexual content at intense (63/100), language at moderate (56/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (46/100) and frightening material at intense (70/100). Its violence and drug and alcohol content have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 36% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Czechia15+
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 60% of all filmsHeavier than 36% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 78%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 30%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 64%

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

The reason to think twice is frightening material and sexual content. 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 Spider have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Spider?

Cast

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

Ralph Fiennes
as Spider
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.
Miranda Richardson
as Yvonne
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gabriel Byrne
as Bill Cleg
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.
Lynn Redgrave
as Mrs. Wilkinson
John Neville
as Terrence
Philip Craig
as John
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bradley Hall
as Spider Boy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Gary Reineke
as Freddy
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Sara Stockbridge
as Gladys
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Cliff Saunders
as Bob
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 Spider?

Movies like Spider include Repulsion (1965), Saint Ange (2004) and Magic Magic (2013). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by David Cronenberg, and most are films about mental illness.

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

9 of these 12 share its subject: trauma. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: chamber drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.