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The Rookie

The Rookie

Packing years of experience and a .45 automatic, L.A. detective Nick Pulovski figures he's got all the help he needs. He's also got all the help he doesn't need. His new partner is The Rookie.

1990120 minRMidcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Director
Clint Eastwood
Starring
Clint Eastwood, Charlie Sheen, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga

Veteran cop Nick Pulovski is used to playing musical partners; many of the partners he's had in the past have died on the job, and often as a result of Nick's risky tactics. But the rookie who's been assigned to help Nick bust a carjacking ring is almost as hotheaded as he is … and when Nick gets kidnapped, his newbie partner is his only hope.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Rookie?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Rookie?

The Rookie earns 6 badges, led by Box Office Flop and Fun.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Rookie worth watching?

The Rookie's Midcredits score is the 31st percentile of all films, from 49K ratings across 6 sources. 33% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

31st percentile

Better received than 31% of films

46th percentile among Action33rd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)36th
Approval (how many liked it)27th

58 /100

36th percentile of all films

53rd percentile among Action39th percentile among 1990s

Critics 41 · Audience 59

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

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

Approval

How many liked it

33% liked it

27th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Action29th percentile among 1990s
33% rated it 7–1067% rated it 1–6

Critics 31% · Audience 36%

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

93rd percentile

49K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Action89th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 42% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$5.5M
Domestic gross$22M
Worldwide gross$22M

Returned 0.7× its budget — 68th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it's a derivative, cliché-ridden buddy-cop action movie with some entertaining stunt work.

Fans praised

  • entertaining popcorn action with energetic set pieces
  • Eastwood and Sheen have amusing buddy chemistry
  • Raul Julia and Sonia Braga are fun over-the-top villains

Detractors panned

  • formulaic, clichéd buddy-cop script with no originality
  • miscast Raul Julia and Sonia Braga as unconvincing German villains
  • forced, self-conscious dialogue and poor chemistry between leads

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

spectacular car chases and practical explosions; excessive but fun

ActingDivisive40

Eastwood coasts on Dirty Harry shtick; Sheen is wooden; Julia & Braga miscast as Germans

HumorDivisive40

occasional amusing Eastwood one-liners; mostly falls flat

PacingDivisive35

overlong at 2 hours; drags between action set pieces

Plot and story20

predictable, formulaic revenge-and-redemption storyline

CharactersDivisive20

paper-thin veteran-rookie archetypes with no development

DialogueDivisive20

wooden, clichéd one-liners; forced tough-guy banter

Originality10

derivative of Lethal Weapon and Dirty Harry

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 14 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Critics vs users 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Rookie 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 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
TenseThrillingContemplative
Heaviest: middle
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays its buddy cop revenge formula straight with a tough, wry edge and occasional dark humor.
The rideThe mood shifts from procedural tension to action-thriller peaks, with quieter moments reflecting on partnership and past failures.
StructureStandard linear narrative following the investigation and rescue.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you entertained and mildly exhilarated from the action and buddy chemistry.
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).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · 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%: 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%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

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

Why this archetypeA veteran cop turns his partner's murder into a personal vendetta, pursuing a crime lord despite being removed from the case.

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 filmsSelfRevengeMorality
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% · 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% (this title) · 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

Revenge · 4% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a veteran cop seeking vengeance for his partner's death, while wrestling with his own career disappointments and a rookie partner's caution.
StanceThe film questions whether personal vengeance or procedural justice is the right path, focused on the two cops' dynamic rather than larger societal impact.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Lennie Niehaus
SettingLos Angeles auto theft division and chop shop underworld
MusicA tense, percussive score typical of 1990s action-police thrillers.

Content guide

Is The Rookie okay for kids?

R

The Rookie is rated R. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (73/100), sexual content at moderate (49/100), language at intense (78/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (58/100) and frightening material at moderate (58/100). Overall it is heavier than 59% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany18
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • South Korea18
  • Denmark15
  • SK15
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 76% of all filmsHeavier than 59% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 54%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 51%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 69%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 74%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 42%

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

The reason to think twice is language and violence. 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 The Rookie have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Rookie?

Cast

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

Clint Eastwood
as Nick Pulovski
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.
Charlie Sheen
as David Ackerman
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Raul Julia
as Strom
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sonia Braga
as Liesl
Tom Skerritt
as Eugene Ackerman
Lara Flynn Boyle
as Sarah
Xander Berkeley
as Ken Blackwell
Coleby Lombardo
as David's Brother
Pat DuVal
as Interrogator #1
Mara Corday
as Interrogator #2

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Rookie?

Movies like The Rookie include Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), The Gauntlet (1977) and No Man's Land (1987). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Clint Eastwood, and most are films about law enforcement.

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

Boaz Yakin wrote 4 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

2.6K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: odd couple. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.