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Bad Behaviour

Bad Behaviour

2023109 minMidcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
Director
Alice Englert
Starring
Jennifer Connelly, Alice Englert, Ben Whishaw, Ana Scotney

Lucy, a former child actor, seeks enlightenment at a retreat led by spiritual leader Elon while she navigates her close yet turbulent relationship with her stunt-performer daughter, Dylan.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Bad Behaviour?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Bad Behaviour streaming on The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Bad Behaviour?

Bad Behaviour earns 5 badges, led by Standout acting and Overhyped.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Bad Behaviour worth watching?

Bad Behaviour's Midcredits score is the 8th percentile of all films, from 5.4K ratings across 5 sources. 19% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

8th percentile

Better received than 8% of films

7th percentile among Comedy9th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)13th
Approval (how many liked it)7th

48 /100

13th percentile of all films

12th percentile among Comedy15th percentile among 2020s

Critics 56 · Audience 47

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

19% liked it

7th percentile of all films

6th percentile among Comedy9th percentile among 2020s
19% rated it 7–1081% rated it 1–6

Critics 48% · Audience 21%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 5 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

79th percentile

5.4K ratings across platforms

77th percentile among Comedy79th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$88K

22nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it's a tonally messy debut that showcases Englert's clear directorial talent and strong lead performances, but differs on whether that ambition pays off.

Fans praised

  • Connelly's devastating, all-in performance as a dead-inside mother
  • Englert's confident, risk-taking directorial debut with a specific voice
  • Sharp satire of the spiritual-enlightenment industry balanced with sincerity

Detractors panned

  • Unfocused script that can't decide between drama and dark comedy
  • Pacing drags with a runtime that feels excessively long
  • Mother-daughter relationship lacks context, tension, and resolution

What stands out

Acting80

Connelly and Whishaw praised even by detractors; Connelly called devastating

OriginalityDivisive70

Oddball style and genuine risks; creative but unfocused

CinematographyDivisive65

Beautiful photography and unique camerawork, but some awful lighting

Emotional impactDivisive55

Fans moved by generational trauma; detractors felt at arm's length

HumorDivisive55

Funny and heartwarming moments; comedy works but tone clashes

CharactersDivisive50

Detractors find mother and daughter unlikable and underdeveloped; fans see layered trauma

Plot and storyDivisive45

Fragmented and disjointed narrative; lacks cohesion and clear direction

PacingDivisive30

Slow, disjointed, runtime feels excessively long

Preferred by

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

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Bad Behaviour like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It has a few laughs and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseBittersweetAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material with an uneasy mix of deadpan satire and dramatic sincerity, never fully committing to either register.
The rideThe tone shifts between satirical absurdity at the retreat and the emotional weight of the mother-daughter conflict, which comes to a head later in the film.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly, alternating between Lucy's retreat and Dylan's film set before their storylines converge.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with an uneasy mix of satire and genuine emotional weight, making it hard to settle on a single feeling.
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).RebirthHealing
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%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Comedy underneath

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

Why this archetypeLucy attends a spiritual retreat to seek enlightenment while struggling with her strained relationship with her daughter; the film follows her attempt at healing and self-discovery, played as a dark satire.

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 filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · 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%

Bonds

Family bondsPurpose · 9% of filmsFreedom · 5% 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 explores the close but turbulent mother-daughter relationship set against each woman's personal search for purpose and liberation.
StanceThe film questions the value of the spiritual retreat while observing the strained mother-daughter bond, without fully celebrating or condemning either side.

The world

ContemporaryRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernFolkSupportive music · original score · Alice Englert
Settinga remote spiritual retreat attended by wealthy seekers
MusicCo-composed by the director herself, the score likely reflects the film's tonal shifts between satire and sincerity.

Content guide

Is Bad Behaviour okay for kids?

As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (58/100), sexual content at moderate (36/100), language at intense (62/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (50/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • New ZealandM
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 47% of all films
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (30 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 Bad Behaviour have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Bad Behaviour?

Cast

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

Jennifer Connelly
as Lucy
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.
Alice Englert
as Dylan
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ben Whishaw
as Elon Bello
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.
Ana Scotney
as Petunia
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dasha Nekrasova
as Beverly
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Karan Gill
as Leonard Gow
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Marlon Williams
as Elmore
Alistair Sewell
as Tom
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Beulah Koale
as Dion
Meramanji Odedra
as Abhay
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

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What are movies like Bad Behaviour?

Movies like Bad Behaviour include Breath (2022) and Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019), both films set in the Pacific Northwest.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Bad Behaviour?

3.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.