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Michael Barrett

Michael Barrett

Cinematographer, also producer and director · Born May 28, 1970 (56) · Riverside, California, USA

Michael Bradley Barrett (born May 28, 1970) is an American cinematographer. He has worked on films such as Bobby, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Ted. He has been married to actress Anna Faris since 2021; the two met on the set of Overboard (2018).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 28, 1970 (56)
From
Riverside, California, USA
Works as
Cinematographer, also producer and director
Titles
32 on Motif · 38 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 22% in 30 days

What are Michael Barrett's films like?

Across their 30 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
36%
Self
30%
Morality
11%
Survival
8%
Society
7%
Power
4%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 18 · Serious 4 · Dark 8

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 16 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 12 · Charged 11 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 17 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 12

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 5

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 17 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Absurd
11
Joyful
11
Romantic
8
Hopeful
8
Other
29

How their films linger

Feel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michael Barrett's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 32 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Barrett's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

38 credits, 32 with a Motif page.

  • Night Hunter(2018)

    Cinematographer · Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Gotti(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Overboard(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Beast of Burden(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Clapper(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Temple(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Ted 2(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • No Good Deed(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • A Million Ways to Die in the West(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • About Last Night(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Battle of the Year(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Ted(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Zookeeper(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Everything Must Go(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Takers(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Bedtime Stories(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Prop 8: The Musical (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Cinematographer

  • You Don't Mess with the Zohan(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Mysteries of Pittsburgh(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Bobby(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Goal! The Dream Begins(2005)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Kiss Kiss Bang Bang(2005)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Lucky 13(2005)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • CSI: Miami(2002)

    Show 5 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Turn of Faith (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Cinematographer

  • Lone Star State of Mind(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect You(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Skeletons in the Closet(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • On the Edge(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Atlantis Conspiracy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    Cinematographer

  • 75 Degrees in July (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • The Suburbans(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Florentine(1999)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Safe Men(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Finding North (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    Cinematographer

  • She Drinks a Little (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Electrician

Career shape

A full career of 37 titles from 1981 to 2019.

Biggest box office

Ted (2012)

$549M worldwide

Highest rated

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

Ted 2 (2015)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing1 of 37: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography36 of 37: 35 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score39thOther crew1 of 37: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s4 · crew2000s16 · crew2010s16 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Michael Barrett's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 32nd percentile, the median of all 31; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 32 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · cinematographer

Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011)

83rd percentile spread · 64% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Midcredits 92nd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 48/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 63, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Michael Barrett's work okay for kids?

Across up to 20 Motif titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore14 titles20–77 · median 49 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity20 titles23–68 · median 45 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity16 titles38–91 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs14 titles24–86 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense14 titles16–64 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Michael Barrett work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Barrett's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Glenn S. Gainor shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers