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Mask

Mask

They told 16 year old Rocky Dennis he could never be like everyone else. So he was determined to be better.

1985120 minPG-13Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Director
Peter Bogdanovich
Starring
Cher, Sam Elliott, Eric Stoltz, Estelle Getty

A significantly deformed but highly intelligent teenage boy and his biker gang mother attempt to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Mask?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Mask?

Mask earns 7 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Standout acting.

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

Reception

Is Mask worth watching?

Mask's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all films, from 60K ratings across 6 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of films

83rd percentile among Biography89th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)87th
Approval (how many liked it)87th

73 /100

87th percentile of all films

84th percentile among Biography90th percentile among 1980s

Critics 73 · Audience 73

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

77% liked it

87th percentile of all films

78th percentile among Biography88th percentile among 1980s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Critics 93% · Audience 83%

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

Awards

1 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 7 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Makeup
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

92nd percentile

60K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Biography91st percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 19% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$8M
Opening weekend$135K
Domestic gross$48M
Worldwide gross$48M

Returned 6.0× its budget — 88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A true-story drama about a deformed teen and his unconventional biker mother, anchored by strong lead performances.

Fans praised

  • Eric Stoltz's performance without self-pity
  • Cher's ferocious yet vulnerable mother
  • Avoids mawkish sentimentality despite tearjerker material

Detractors panned

  • Biker gang portrayed as impossibly saintly softies
  • Rusty's character feels like shtick, not honest
  • Slow pacing and padded biker sequences

What stands out

Effects and spectacle90

Oscar-winning makeup creates convincing disfigurement

ActingDivisive85

Stoltz conveys soul through heavy makeup; Cher's Cannes-winning gritty mother

Emotional impactDivisive80

Tearjerking ending but not manipulative to many

EndingDivisive75

Bittersweet resolution feels earned despite predictability

Sound and musicDivisive75

Bob Seger / Springsteen soundtrack; no traditional score

CharactersDivisive65

Rocky's saintly optimism feels unrealistic; Rusty's addiction shown but sanitized

Plot and storyDivisive60

Predictable disease-of-the-week structure with episodic digressions

PacingDivisive50

First half slow, biker subplots drag

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 13 points higher than men.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Mask like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you bittersweet. 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

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
WarmMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmTender · 13% of filmsSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its emotional material straight and earns its sentiment without irony; it treats Rocky's story with warm sincerity and never undercuts the drama.
The rideThe film balances warm, uplifting scenes of Rocky's triumphs with a melancholic undercurrent due to his condition, becoming heaviest in the final act as his health declines.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Rocky's entry into junior high through his final year; no nonlinear or experimental devices are used.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe loss of Rocky is devastating, but his resilience and the love he inspired leave a lingering sense of hope and appreciation for life's beauty.
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).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% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • 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. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

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

Why this archetypeRocky's story is driven by his medical condition and its limits rather than a quest or monster; the tragedy subtype 'crushed_by_fate' fits his inevitable death despite his spirit. The 'rebirth' secondary reflects the inner liberation he achieves.

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% (this title) · Ambition 7% · 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%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · 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 bondsSelf-worth · 7% of filmsMortality · 2% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Rocky's bond with his unconventional mother Rusty and the biker-gang family, while exploring his struggle to be valued for his inner self in the face of a fatal condition.
StanceThe film celebrates the family bond and Rocky's inner worth, affirming that love and self-acceptance triumph over prejudice and mortality.

The world

Late 20th centurySuburbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
RockPopSupportive music · hybrid · Dennis Ricotta
SettingAzusa, California, 1978-1979; working-class suburban life with a motorcycle-gang subculture
MusicFeatures Bob Seger's 'Rock and Roll Never Forgets' and other period rock songs; composer Dennis Ricotta provided additional score.

Content guide

Is Mask okay for kids?

PG-13

Mask is rated PG-13. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (49/100), sexual content at moderate (35/100), language at intense (61/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (65/100) and frightening material at intense (61/100). Overall it is heavier than 91% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK12
  • Germany12
  • Brazil14
  • Netherlands6
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 59% of all filmsHeavier than 91% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 53%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 64%
Profanity
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 91%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 98%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 77%

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

The reason to think twice is drug and alcohol content, language, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-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 Mask have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Mask?

Cast

Cher
as Rusty Dennis
Sam Elliott
as Gar
Eric Stoltz
as Rocky Dennis
Estelle Getty
as Evelyn Steinberg
Richard Dysart
as Abe
Laura Dern
as Diana
Micole Mercurio
as Babe
Harry Carey Jr.
as Red
Dennis Burkley
as Dozer
Lawrence Monoson
as Ben

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Mask?

Movies like Mask include The Outsiders (1983), Forrest Gump (1994) and Don't Say Good Luck (2026). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories about single mothers, and half are teen dramas.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Mask?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: teen drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.