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Third Star

Third Star

201092 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Director
Hattie Dalton
Starring
Tom Burke, Benedict Cumberbatch, JJ Feild, Hugh Bonneville

James and his three closest lifelong friends go on an ill-advised trip to the stunning coastal area of Barafundle Bay in West Wales. What follows is a touching and comical adventure dealing with friendship, heroism and love.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Third Star?

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

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Third Star?

Third Star earns 7 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of films.

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

Reception

Is Third Star worth watching?

Third Star's Midcredits score is the 90th percentile of all films, from 12K ratings across 4 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

90th percentile

Better received than 90% of films

92nd percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)90th

73 /100

86th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2010s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Critics 47% · Audience 84%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

79th percentile

12K ratings across platforms

81st percentile among Drama81st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26

Box office

Budget£1.5M

In British pound, not converted to dollars.

Worldwide gross$15K

16th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow, dialogue-heavy road movie about four friends confronting mortality in the Welsh countryside.

Fans praised

  • Subtle, powerful lead performance capturing physical and emotional pain
  • Chemistry among the four friends feels genuine and lived-in
  • Emotionally devastating ending that reframes the slow build

Detractors panned

  • Long stretches of tedium with trivial banter and pointless detours
  • Over-reliance on cancer-movie clichés like funny gags and sunsets

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Benedict Cumberbatch's mesmerising, multi-layered performance as James

Emotional impactDivisive85

Powerful catharsis, many reviewers cried heavily

EndingDivisive85

Haunting, bitterly satisfying resolution that justifies the slow build

CinematographyDivisive75

Beautifully shot Welsh coastline and landscape

CharactersDivisive72

Believable, flawed friends whose backstories unfold naturally

DialogueDivisive65

Sharp script mixes warmth, humour and painful honesty

Plot and storyDivisive55

Simple premise of a last journey with slow build to emotional climax

PacingDivisive40

First half sluggish with meandering interludes

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 33 points higher than men.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Third Star 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 devastated. 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
MelancholicWarmTense
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Tender · 13% of filmsWarm
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its dying protagonist and his friends with gentle, affectionate honesty, never mocking their emotions despite moments of levity.
The rideThe emotional weight grows as James deteriorates, with moments of warmth and dark humour, culminating in a devastating final scene.
StructureJames's voiceover narration bookends the film, framing the journey as a retrospective, while the main body follows a conventional three-act structure of departure, journey, and arrival.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the profound sorrow of losing a young man to cancer and the weight of the friends' sacrifice.
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).Quest
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1% (this title)
  • 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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Pilgrimage: The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.

10% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe film follows a group of friends on a difficult journey by foot and cart to a remote coastal bay, led by a dying protagonist seeking a final meaningful experience.

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 filmsSelfMortalitySurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · 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% (this title): 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%

Survival

Mortality · 2% of filmsFriendship · 9% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the experience of terminal illness and the bonds that sustain a dying man and his friends on a final journey.
StanceThe film mourns the impending loss of a young life while celebrating the friendship that surrounds him.

The world

ContemporaryRuralWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Stephen Hilton
SettingA camping journey through the Welsh countryside to Barafundle Bay

Content guide

Is Third Star okay for kids?

Not Rated

Third Star is not rated. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (17/100), sexual content at mild (22/100), language at moderate (54/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at mild (17/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany12
  • South Korea15
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (29 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 Third Star have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Third Star?

Cast

Tom Burke
as Davy
Benedict Cumberbatch
as James
JJ Feild
as Miles
Hugh Bonneville
as Beachcomber
Eros V
as Angel Boy
Rupert Frazer
as Mr.
Helen Griffin
as Mrs.
Karl Johnson
as Ticket Seller
Nia Roberts
as Chloe
Adam Robertson
as Bill

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Third Star?

Movies like Third Star include The Cure (1995), Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017) and Now Is Good (2012). Of the 10 closest matches, several are pilgrimage stories, and most are stories about carers and dependents.

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

9 of these 10 share its subject: mortality. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Third Star?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: caretaker and dependent. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.