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Thirteen Days

Thirteen Days

You'll never believe how close we came.

2000145 minPG-13Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Director
Roger Donaldson
Starring
Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, Steven Culp, Dylan Baker

The story of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962—the nuclear standoff with the USSR sparked by the discovery by the Americans of missile bases established on the Soviet-allied island of Cuba.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Thirteen Days?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Thirteen Days streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Thirteen Days?

Thirteen Days earns 9 badges, led by Top 10% in Drama and Nail-biter.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Thirteen Days worth watching?

Thirteen Days' Midcredits score is the 88th percentile of all films, from 98K ratings across 6 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

88th percentile

Better received than 88% of films

90th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)82nd
Approval (how many liked it)90th

71 /100

82nd percentile of all films

85th percentile among Drama81st percentile among 2000s

Critics 67 · Audience 71

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.4 — people broadly agree on this one.

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Drama89th percentile among 2000s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Critics 83% · Audience 80%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 7 noms overall

94th percentile

98K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 39% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$80M
Opening weekend$47K
Domestic gross$35M
Worldwide gross$67M

Returned 0.8× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps recognize the film as a fact-based, tense political thriller centered on high-stakes decision-making during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but disagree on how well the execution and performances serve the material.

Fans praised

  • Real-time tension and suspense from the crisis even with a known outcome
  • Authentic dialogue lifted from White House transcripts, adding factual weight
  • Strong lead performances, especially Greenwood and Culp as the Kennedys

Detractors panned

  • Bad acting and an overly familiar or melodramatic presentation undermine the story
  • Fictionalized or dramatized elements, such as Costner's accent and character, detract from credibility
  • Lacks the deep character development of a focused historical drama, feeling like a condensed docudrama

What stands out

TensionDivisive90

Relentless brinkmanship and strategic anxiety praised as the film's strongest asset

AtmosphereDivisive80

Dread of impending nuclear doom and claustrophobic White House setting consistently praised

Plot and storyDivisive75

Step-by-step escalation praised for clarity and fidelity to real events, but some find it too procedural

ActingDivisive70

Greenwood and Culp lauded as spot-on JFK and RFK; Costner's accent heavily criticized by some

Pacing70

High momentum in the war room, but slower moments and a long runtime draw criticism

DialogueDivisive70

Transcript-derived dialogue authentically heavy with period jargon, occasionally stilted

Emotional impact65

Weight of world-altering decisions resonates, though some find the emotional core too distant

Characters55

O'Donnell central but seen as thinly drawn, a device for a broader view of the crisis

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 14 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 14 points higher than under-30s.

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

  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Thirteen Days like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. 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 and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with solemn gravity, presenting the crisis with documentary-like seriousness and emotional restraint.
The rideThe film sustains near-constant tension from start to finish, with dread building gradually and the heaviest emotional weight falling on the final negotiations and aftermath.
StructureTold chronologically over thirteen days, the film follows the crisis from discovery to resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer contemplating the fragility of peace and the weight of leadership during a nuclear standoff.
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).MonsterInvasion
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% (this title) · 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. · Invasion: An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

Why this archetypeThe film follows President Kennedy and his team as they confront the Soviet nuclear missile deployment in Cuba, struggling to avoid war while managing internal pressures from military hawks.

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 filmsSelfPower
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% (this title): Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · 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%

Power

Power · 2% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsDuty · 2% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the immense responsibility of wielding nuclear power and the struggle between military escalation and political restraint.
StanceThe film warns of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear brinkmanship and the need for diplomatic restraint, treating its primary theme of power as a danger.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Trevor Jones
SettingWashington D.C., the White House, and the Cuban quarantine zone during the 1962 missile crisis
MusicThe score uses a traditional orchestral palette that underscores the tension without overwhelming dialogue.

Content guide

Is Thirteen Days okay for kids?

PG-13

Thirteen Days is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for brief strong language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (5/100), sexual content at minimal (12/100), language at moderate (58/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (28/100) and frightening material at mild (30/100). Overall it is heavier than 27% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK12
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • Brazil12
  • Austria12
  • Denmark15
  • Greece13
  • Netherlands6
  • Norway15
  • Spain7
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 20% of all filmsHeavier than 27% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 4%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 14%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 85%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 36%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 27%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 85% 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 Thirteen Days have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Thirteen Days?

Cast

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

Kevin Costner
as Kenny O'Donnell
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.
Bruce Greenwood
as John F. Kennedy
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Steven Culp
as Robert F. Kennedy
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Dylan Baker
as Robert McNamara
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Fairman
as Adlai Stevenson
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Henry Strozier
as Dean Rusk
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Frank Wood
as McGeorge Bundy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kevin Conway
as Gen. Curtis LeMay
Tim Kelleher
as Ted Sorensen
Len Cariou
as Dean Acheson

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Thirteen Days?

Movies like Thirteen Days include The Contender (2000), Air Force One (1997) and Frost/Nixon (2008). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about US presidents, and most are political thrillers.

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

6 of these 12 share its subject: power. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Thirteen Days?

560 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: politician. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.