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The Mercy

The Mercy

Based on the true story

2018112 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Director
James Marsh
Starring
Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, David Thewlis, Mark Gatiss

In 1968, Donald Crowhurst, an amateur sailor, endangers the fate of his family and business, and his own life, blinded by his ambition to compete in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, attempting to become the first person in history to single-handedly circumnavigate the world without making any stopover.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Mercy?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Mercy streaming on Pluto TV (free), Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Mercy?

The Mercy earns 7 badges, led by Award Winner and Box Office Flop.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Mercy worth watching?

The Mercy's Midcredits score is the 39th percentile of all films, from 18K ratings across 6 sources. 36% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

39th percentile

Better received than 39% of films

46th percentile among Adventure39th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)46th
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

60 /100

46th percentile of all films

52nd percentile among Adventure47th percentile among 2010s

Critics 60 · Audience 60

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

36% liked it

32nd percentile of all films

39th percentile among Adventure31st percentile among 2010s
36% rated it 7–1064% rated it 1–6

Critics 73% · Audience 34%

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

Awards

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

91st percentile

18K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Adventure91st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$18M
Domestic gross$30K
Worldwide gross$4.5M

Returned 0.3× its budget — 51st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A tragic, well-acted drama about an amateur sailor's disastrous round-the-world attempt, but the film feels slow and fails to fully capture the gripping true story.

Fans praised

  • Colin Firth's performance: wrenching, subtle, captures mental breakdown with restraint
  • Emotional impact: moving, heartbreaking, cathartic ending
  • Strong cinematography and score: beautifully captures the sea and period

Detractors panned

  • Miscast lead: Firth too old, gentle, lacks Crowhurst's desperate arrogance
  • Slow, boring pacing with repetitive sea scenes and lack of tension
  • Weak script and direction: fails to explore Crowhurst's madness or real story

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Firth and Weisz praised; Firth miscast and too restrained according to detractors

Sound and musicDivisive73

Haunting score by Jóhann Jóhannsson; effective sound design

Cinematography72

Beautiful shots of sea and 1960s Devon; visually stunning

Emotional impactDivisive70

Moving and tragic for fans; detractors found it flat or unsatisfying

Characters55

Crowhurst's character underdeveloped; Weisz's role underwritten

Plot and storyDivisive45

Generic, box-ticking story; lacks depth and fails to capture real mystery

TensionDivisive45

Lacks suspense; buildup without payoff

PacingDivisive40

Slow, first act brisk but later drags; drawn-out scenes

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

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.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Mercy like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadMelancholicContemplativeHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats Crowhurst's story with unflinching solemnity, portraying his mental decline with empathy and restraint.
The rideThe film builds a constant sense of dread as Crowhurst's situation deteriorates, punctuated by contemplative and melancholic stretches, with hopeful moments early on; the heaviest weight falls in the latter part.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from departure through the voyage to the aftermath on land.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a heavy, lingering sadness as the full weight of Crowhurst's failure and loss settles.
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).TragedyHubris
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% (this title) · 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%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Hubris: Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeDonald Crowhurst's ambition to win a solo round-the-world race despite being fatally under-prepared drives a tragic arc of pride, isolation, and collapse.

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 filmsSelfSurvival
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% (this title) · 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% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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

SurvivalIsolation · 5% of filmsAmbition · 7% 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 centers on the physical and psychological struggle to survive at sea, the crushing loneliness of isolation, and the ambition that drives a man to risk everything.
StanceThe film treats Crowhurst's ambition and his ultimate fate as a source of deep sorrow, mourning what was lost rather than celebrating the adventure.

The world

Mid 20th centuryIn transitDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Jóhann Jóhannsson
SettingA solo yacht race around the world, shifting from the Crowhurst family home in England to the vast open ocean.
MusicJóhannsson’s score is haunting and minimal, using strings and electronic textures to mirror Crowhurst's isolation and mounting dread.

Content guide

Is The Mercy okay for kids?

Not Rated

The Mercy is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (24/100), sexual content at mild (16/100), language at moderate (40/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (30/100). Overall it is heavier than 16% of unrated films.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanG
  • Austria12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • Netherlands6
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • Russia16+
  • SK12
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 12% of all filmsHeavier than 16% of unrated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 14%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 20%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 50%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 36%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 20%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 50% of unrated 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 The Mercy have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Mercy?

Cast

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

Colin Firth
as Donald Crowhurst
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.
Rachel Weisz
as Clare Crowhurst
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 Thewlis
as Rodney Hallworth
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.
Mark Gatiss
as Ronald Hall
Genevieve Gaunt
as Miss Teignmouth
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jonathan Bailey
as Ian Wheeler
Andrew Buchan
as Ian Milburn
Simon McBurney
as Sir Francis Chichester
Ken Stott
as Stanley Best
Finn Elliot
as James Crowhurst
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Mercy?

Movies like The Mercy include The Theory of Everything (2014), Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (2005) and Nixon (1995). Of the 12 closest matches, most are biopics, and most are films set in the 1960s.

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

9 of these 12 share its character type: a marriage in crisis. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: adventurer. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.