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The Cobbler

The Cobbler

Saving the neighborhood one sole at a time.

201499 minPG-13Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Director
Tom McCarthy
Starring
Adam Sandler, Method Man, Dustin Hoffman, Steve Buscemi

Max Simkin repairs shoes in the same New York shop that has been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with the grind of daily life, Max stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. Sometimes walking in another man's shoes is the only way one can discover who they really are.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Cobbler?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Cobbler streaming on Pluto TV (free) and The Roku Channel (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Cobbler?

The Cobbler earns 4 badges, led by Box Office Flop and Feel-good.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Cobbler worth watching?

The Cobbler's Midcredits score is the 30th percentile of all films, from 133K ratings across 6 sources. 38% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

30th percentile

Better received than 30% of films

32nd percentile among Comedy30th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)35th

54 /100

26th percentile of all films

27th percentile among Comedy28th percentile among 2010s

Critics 23 · Audience 56

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

38% liked it

35th percentile of all films

38th percentile among Comedy34th percentile among 2010s
38% rated it 7–1062% rated it 1–6

Critics 10% · Audience 36%

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

Awards

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

97th percentile

133K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$6.5M

67th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A gentle fantasy-comedy about a lonely cobbler who literally walks in other people's shoes, but its uneven execution and messy plot prevent it from landing its intended emotional or comedic impact.

Fans praised

  • clever fantasy concept of literally walking in another's shoes
  • departure from Sandler's usual slapstick, with understated dramatic performance
  • genuinely touching mother-son scenes and heartwarming moral

Detractors panned

  • unfocused script lurches between drama, fantasy, crime caper, and superhero origin
  • tone deaf and offensive humor targeting trans characters and racial stereotypes
  • protagonist's reckless, morally questionable behavior undermines empathy message

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive70

unique concept but derivative execution stops short of its potential

ActingDivisive58

Sandler gives a subdued, sincere performance; supporting cast elevates thin material

Emotional impactDivisive50

family scenes land for some but feel manipulative and hollow to others

CharactersDivisive40

supporting roles feel like stereotypes; Max's emotional arc is underdeveloped

Plot and storyDivisive35

promising premise undone by convoluted subplots and jarring tonal shifts

HumorDivisive35

few gentle laughs but mostly falls flat, especially for those expecting comedy

EndingDivisive30

divisive superhero-style twist and tacked-on resolution divided camps

PacingDivisive30

slow start, meandering middle, rushed and baffling final act

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Cobbler like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. 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

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmContemplative
Heaviest: middle
Register
WarmWhimsical · 2% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its whimsical premise mostly straight, with gentle humour and sincere emotional beats alongside a light crime caper.
The rideThe mood is gently warm and reflective, with a slight uptick in tension during the gangster subplot but never overwhelming.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional beginning-middle-end order, following Max from his mundane life through his magical discovery to a resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a light, uplifting impression as Max finds purpose and connection through his magical journey.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

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).Rebirth
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% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2% (this title)
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Second chance: A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).

13% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeA lonely cobbler discovers a magical machine that lets him become anyone whose shoes he wears, leading him to revitalize his stagnant life and connect with his community.

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% · 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% (this title) · 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 bondsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
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 themeMax's magical ability to step into others' shoes ultimately reconnects him with his family and his neighborhood.
StanceThe film celebrates finding your true self and the importance of family heritage, despite the bizarre premise.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · John Debney
SettingA cobbler shop in the Lower East Side, New York City, echoing a community from 1903 to the present.
MusicThe score likely underscores the whimsical yet heartfelt tone with a blend of classical and modern elements.

Content guide

Is The Cobbler okay for kids?

PG-13

The Cobbler is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some violence, language and brief partial nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (70/100), sexual content at moderate (48/100), language at moderate (42/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (17/100) and frightening material at moderate (42/100). Overall it is heavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina13
  • GreecePG
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands14
  • ROAP
  • Russia18+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
  • Taiwan保護級
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 44% of all filmsHeavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 91%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 87%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 50%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 16%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 45%

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

The reason to think twice is violence.

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 The Cobbler have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Cobbler?

Cast

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

Adam Sandler
as Max Simkin
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.
Method Man
as Leon Ludlow
Dustin Hoffman
as Abraham Simkin
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.
Steve Buscemi
as Jimmy
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.
Melonie Diaz
as Carmen Herrara
Ellen Barkin
as Elaine Greenawalt
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Dan Stevens
as Emiliano
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Elli
as Goldman
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sondra James
as Anna O'Hara
Dascha Polanco
as Macy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Cobbler?

Movies like The Cobbler include Sardar Ka Grandson (2021), Nine Lives (2016) and Raising Victor Vargas (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in New York, and several are second-chance stories.

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

11 of these 12 share its world: immigrant community. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Cobbler?

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