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Total Eclipse

Total Eclipse

Touched by Genius. Cursed by Madness. Blinded by Love.

1995111 minRMidcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Director
Agnieszka Holland
Starring
Leonardo DiCaprio, David Thewlis, Romane Bohringer, Dominique Blanc

Young, wild poet Arthur Rimbaud and his mentor Paul Verlaine engage in a fierce, forbidden romance while feeling the effects of a hellish artistic lifestyle.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Total Eclipse?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Total Eclipse?

Total Eclipse earns 8 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Total Eclipse worth watching?

Total Eclipse's Midcredits score is the 55th percentile of all films, from 42K ratings across 6 sources. 57% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

55th percentile

Better received than 55% of films

31st percentile among Biography58th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)47th
Approval (how many liked it)62nd

61 /100

47th percentile of all films

23rd percentile among Biography51st percentile among 1990s

Critics 42 · Audience 62

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

57% liked it

62nd percentile of all films

39th percentile among Biography64th percentile among 1990s
57% rated it 7–1043% rated it 1–6

Critics 24% · Audience 60%

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

Awards

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

92nd percentile

42K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Biography88th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$8M
Opening weekend$131K
Domestic gross$340K
Worldwide gross$340K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 23rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a raw, unsentimental portrait of a destructive, passionate relationship between two famous 19th-century French poets, but it barely shows their poetry or artistic genius.

Fans praised

  • DiCaprio's volcanic, committed performance as Rimbaud
  • Thewlis's complex, tortured Verlaine
  • Haunting, melancholy violin-heavy score

Detractors panned

  • Focuses on squalor and cruelty, ignores the poetry
  • Mishmash of American/British/French accents undermines period feel
  • DiCaprio plays Rimbaud as obnoxious brat, not genius

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

DiCaprio mesmerizing but divisive; Thewls solid; lack of chemistry cited

Atmosphere70

Immersive, grimy 19th-century bohemian Paris

Cinematography70

Dark, atmospheric visuals and period re-creation

Emotional impactDivisive50

Some fans deeply moved; detractors feel nothing

EndingDivisive50

Poetic, ambiguous final moments divide viewers

DialogueDivisive45

Some provocative lines but often feels false or pretentious

Plot and story40

Focuses narrowly on destructive romance, little narrative arc

CharactersDivisive35

Both poets portrayed as cruel, selfish, and unsympathetic

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 10 points higher than men.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 16 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 21 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 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Total Eclipse like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you haunted. 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 and patience.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseMelancholicRomantic
Heaviest: late
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Bleak · 8% of filmsRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film takes its volatile subject matter seriously, playing the romance and deterioration with earnest intensity and a brooding atmosphere.
The rideThe film swings between passionate tenderness and violent conflict, building to a poignant and reflective final act.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Verlaine's invitation to the poets' final meeting, following a conventional dramatic arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe volatile romance and its artistic cost linger, leaving a bittersweet sense of passion and destruction.
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).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% (this title) · 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. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

9% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe film traces the self-destructive relationship between two poets, driven by obsession and leading to mutual ruin.

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 filmsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • 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% (this title) · 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% (this title) · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 3% of filmsArt · 4% of filmsSacrifice · 4% of films
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 examines how obsessive love both fuels and consumes artistic creation, demanding everything from the poets.
StanceThe film examines the destructive cost of obsessive love and artistic genius without celebration or condemnation.

The world

19th centuryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientForeground music · original score · Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
SettingParisian literary bohemia of the 1870s
MusicKaczmarek's violin-heavy score underscores the emotional intensity and period atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Total Eclipse okay for kids?

R

Total Eclipse is rated R: “Rated R for strong sexuality and nudity, language, and some startling violence” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (69/100), sexual content at severe (81/100), language at intense (64/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (64/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 72% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK18
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia15+
  • Greece18
  • Italy14
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 83% of all filmsHeavier than 72% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 50%
Sex & Nudity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 98%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 82%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 53%

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

Heavy almost across the board: sexual content, violence, drug and alcohol content, language, and frightening material.

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 Total Eclipse have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Total Eclipse?

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio
as Arthur Rimbaud
David Thewlis
as Paul Verlaine
Romane Bohringer
as Mathilde Maute
Dominique Blanc
as Isabelle Rimbaud
Nita Klein
as Rimbaud's Mother
James Thierrée
as Frederic
Christopher Hampton
as The Judge
Denise Chalem
as Mrs. Maute De Fleurville
Andrzej Seweryn
as Mr. Maute De Fleurville
Christopher Thompson
as Carjat

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Total Eclipse?

Movies like Total Eclipse include Another 9½ Weeks (1997), Love (2015) and The Lovers on the Bridge (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories of toxic codependency, and half are stories of obsession.

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

8 of these 12 share its world: Paris. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Total Eclipse?

6.1K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: mentor and protégé. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.