Skip to content
MovieCove
Submarine

Submarine

A comedy that doesn't let principles stand in the way of progress.

201097 minRMidcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Director
Richard Ayoade
Starring
Noah Taylor, Paddy Considine, Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige

15-year-old deep-thinking Welsh schoolboy Oliver Tate struggles to initiate and maintain a relationship with Jordana, his devilish, dark-haired classmate at their Swansea high school. As his parents' marriage begins to fall apart, similar problems arise in his relationship with Jordana.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Submarine?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Submarine streaming on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Submarine?

Submarine earns 9 badges, led by Top 5% in Comedy and Top 10% of films.

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

Reception

Is Submarine worth watching?

Submarine's Midcredits score is the 92nd percentile of all films, from 501K ratings across 6 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

92nd percentile

Better received than 92% of films

95th percentile among Comedy93rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)91st
Approval (how many liked it)90th

75 /100

91st percentile of all films

95th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2010s

Critics 76 · Audience 75

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.5 — solid but not unanimous.

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2010s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Critics 88% · Audience 82%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 15 noms overall

  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer

98th percentile

501K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 68% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$42K
Domestic gross$468K
Worldwide gross$4M

61st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Witty, quotable screenplay with deadpan humor
  • Stylish direction and inventive French New Wave visual flourishes
  • Genuinely moving and relatable depiction of teenage awkwardness and first love

Detractors panned

  • Unlikable, self-absorbed protagonist without meaningful growth
  • Derivative of Wes Anderson and other films, lacking originality
  • Tone-deaf and condescending treatment of bullying, portrayed as quirky

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive90

Haunting Alex Turner songs perfectly complement the bittersweet tone; memorable original score

CinematographyDivisive85

Visually striking with beautiful Welsh landscapes, inventive framing, and nostalgic Super-8 sequences

ActingDivisive80

Pitch-perfect performances from Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige; strong supporting cast with Noah Taylor and Sally Hawkins

DialogueDivisive80

Sharp, witty, and quotable; deadpan humor and clever narration

HumorDivisive75

Dry, deadpan British wit with laugh-out-loud moments; some find it too subdued

Emotional impactDivisive75

Genuinely moving depiction of teenage heartbreak and family crisis; polarizing authenticity

CharactersDivisive70

Quirky, flawed, and authentic; Oliver Tate is both endearing and infuriating to audiences

OriginalityDivisive65

Fresh take on the teen-angst genre, but heavily indebted to Wes Anderson and French New Wave

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Submarine like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
BittersweetWarmMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its teenage angst and family drama at a wry, knowing distance, using Oliver's deadpan voiceover and self-aware fantasies to undercut any sentimentality without losing sincerity toward its characters.
The rideThe film maintains a warm, bittersweet register throughout, with the emotional weight landing in Oliver's final reconciliation attempts.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically, following Oliver's two parallel concerns: his romance with Jordana and the threat to his parents' marriage, with clear act divisions around his choices and consequences.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe open ending, Oliver's imperfect growth, and the mingled loss and possibility leave a gentle longing rather than a clean resolution.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous 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

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

Why this archetypeOliver's journey is less about a single plot goal and more about emotional recovery—he tries to heal his parents' marriage and ultimately faces his own mistakes with Jordana, moving toward a tentative personal growth.

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 filmsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · 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%: 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%

Self

Coming of age · 5% of filmsFamily bondsRomantic love · 15% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Oliver's clumsy, self-absorbed passage through first love and family crisis, where his attempts to control everything reveal his immaturity.
StanceThe film observes Oliver's coming-of-age with gentle irony, neither celebrating nor condemning his misguided choices.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanDomesticSuburbanStylized realism
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Andrew Hewitt
SettingSwansea, Wales, 1986
MusicThe score blends orchestral and electronic elements, evoking the 1980s setting with a wistful, slightly retro feel.

Content guide

Is Submarine okay for kids?

R

Submarine is rated R: “Rated R for language and some sexual content” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (32/100), sexual content at moderate (35/100), language at intense (66/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at mild (16/100). Overall it is heavier than 8% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15A
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Austria12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Norway6
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 33% of all filmsHeavier than 8% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 13%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 31%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 49%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 37%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 8%

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

The reason to think twice is language. 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 Submarine have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Submarine?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Noah Taylor
as Lloyd Tate
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paddy Considine
as Graham Purvis
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Craig Roberts
as Oliver Tate
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Yasmin Paige
as Jordana Bevan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sally Hawkins
as Jill Tate
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Steffan Rhodri
as Mr. Davey
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Darren Evans
as Chips
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Osian Cai Dulais
as Mark Pritchard
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Lily McCann
as Zoe Preece
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Otis Lloyd
as Keiron
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Submarine?

Movies like Submarine include Lady Bird (2017), House of D (2004) and Sing Street (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories of healing, and several are films set in the suburbs.

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

All 12 share its subject: coming of age. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

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