Skip to content
MovieCove
The Baker

The Baker

It's a recipe for disaster.

200786 minPG-13Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
Director
Gareth Lewis
Starring
Damian Lewis, Kate Ashfield, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michael Gambon

Milo is a professional hit man living on the edge. When failing to fulfill a contract for the first time, he escapes the city to avoid the wrath of his employers. Hiding out in a remote rural village, the locals mistake him for the new baker.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Baker?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list The Baker on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Baker?

The Baker earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Baker worth watching?

The Baker's Midcredits score is the 52nd percentile of all films, from 6K ratings across 4 sources. 51% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

52nd percentile

Better received than 52% of films

59th percentile among Comedy50th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)49th
Approval (how many liked it)54th

61 /100

49th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Comedy49th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

51% liked it

54th percentile of all films

60th percentile among Comedy51st percentile among 2000s
51% rated it 7–1049% rated it 1–6

Critics 14% · Audience 52%

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

Awards

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

70th percentile

6K ratings across platforms

66th percentile among Comedy62nd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$2.5M
Worldwide gross$7.4K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 7th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A hitman hiding as a baker in a quirky Welsh village full of oddball characters — a black comedy that leans heavily on eccentricity.

Fans praised

  • quirky black comedy with cartoonish charm
  • damian lewis's deadpan performance
  • hilarious love scene and comedic timing

Detractors panned

  • wooden, caricature characters with no chemistry
  • plot holes and meandering, silly scenarios
  • unfunny, painfully unfunny comedy

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive60

idyllic village setting with wacky residents creates cozy absurdity

ActingDivisive58

damian lewis carries with deadpan charm; detractors find cast wooden and unconvincing

OriginalityDivisive55

refreshing premise with surreal, cartoonish twist; detractors call it pointless and derivative

PacingDivisive55

just the right length for fans; detractors find it slow and dragging

HumorDivisive40

fans find hilarious and silly; detractors see no laughs, just childish absurdity

Plot and storyDivisive40

simple hitman-retires-to-bake premise; detractors cite plot holes and illogical events

CharactersDivisive40

villagers are cartoonish misfits; detractors call them one-dimensional caricatures

EndingDivisive40

silly, not satisfying; detractors find resolution ridiculous

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Baker like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you feeling good.

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

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdWarm
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Deadpan · 1% of films: Delivered flat and unsmiling, which is the joke.Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its dark subject matter with a knowing, ironic distance, treating the hitman's predicament as absurd and winking at genre conventions.
The rideThe film maintains a light comedic tone despite dark elements, with the most intense moment coming when the rival assassin catches up to Milo.
StructureThe story is told in a straightforward linear fashion: setup in London, escape to Wales, complications with locals and rival, climax and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you smiling, having enjoyed a quirky feel-good love story with dark humor.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).Comedy
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% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · 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%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA hitman on the run from his employer is mistaken for a baker in a Welsh village, leading to absurd misunderstandings and conflict.

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 filmsSelf
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%: 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% (this title) · 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%

Morality

Redemption · 6% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeA hitman seeks to leave his violent past behind and find a new life and love in a rural village.
StanceThe film celebrates the possibility of a new life and love, while satirizing the hitman genre and the quirky village setting.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernWorldSupportive music · hybrid · Alex Wurman
SettingA small Welsh village where a hitman hides as a baker
MusicFeatures Italian songs like 'Volare' alongside a quirky orchestral score.

Content guide

Is The Baker okay for kids?

PG-13

The Baker is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sexual content, some partial nudity, violence and brief language” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (44/100), sexual content at intense (60/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Germany12
  • Greece16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (18 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 The Baker have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Baker?

Cast

Damian Lewis
as Milo 'The Baker' Shakespeare
Kate Ashfield
as Rhiannon
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
as Bjorn
Michael Gambon
as Leo
Dyfan Dwyfor
as Eggs
Anthony O'Donnell
as Rhys Edwards
Annette Badland
as Martha Edwards
Steve Speirs
as Bryn Morgan
Brian Hibbard
as Bob
William Thomas
as Alun Thomas

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Baker?

Movies like The Baker include The Whole Nine Yards (2000), The Liability (2012) and Who Is Cletis Tout? (2001). All three are stories about hitmen; two are comedies of errors.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Baker?

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