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Stephen Tolkin

Stephen Tolkin

Writer, director and producer

Stephen Tolkin is a writer and producer.

Biography from TMDB.

Works as
Writer, director and producer
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 41 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 29% in 30 days

What are Stephen Tolkin's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 16th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove 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
Survival
23%
Self
18%
Morality
18%
Bonds
16%
Power
15%
Society
6%
Ideas
4%
Deception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 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 4 · Serious 6 · Dark 9

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

Grounded 16 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 13 · Intense 6

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 0

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

A split, not a type: Casual 10 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 11

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

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Melancholic
10
Dread
7
Hopeful
5
Warm
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Unsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous2

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 Stephen Tolkin's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Stephen Tolkin's titles on MovieCove; 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

41 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Husband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl Story(2024)

    Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Devil on Campus: The Larry Ray Story(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • How to Murder Your Husband(2023)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • House of Chains(2022)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Doomsday Mom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Producer · Writer

  • See(2019)

    Show 8 episodes · Co-Executive Producer · Consulting Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The College Admissions Scandal(2019)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Conrad & Michelle: If Words Could Kill(2018)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Somewhere Between(2017)

    Show 10 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Teleplay · Writer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • New York Prison Break the Seduction of Joyce Mitchell(2017)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Cleveland Abduction(2015)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • A Day Late and a Dollar Short(2014)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Taxi Brooklyn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 12 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Twist of Fate(2013)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Perception(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Craigslist Killer(2011)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Bayou(2009)

    Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Legend of the Seeker(2008)

    Show 44 episodes · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Carolina Moon(2007)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • What If God Were the Sun?(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Brothers & Sisters(2006)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Summerland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 13 episodes · Consulting Producer · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

  • Fidel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Screenplay

  • Fidel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · Screenplay

  • Kate Brasher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show Creator

  • Judgment Day: The Ellie Nesler Story(1999)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Murder(1998)

    Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Intensity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Screenplay

  • Intensity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • Daybreak(1993)

    Director · Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Player(1992)

    as Carl Schecter

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Golden Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director

  • Captain America(1990)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • 12:01 PM (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Writer

  • Monsters(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • The Price of Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Daniel and the Towers(1987)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Masters of the Universe(1987)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Delta House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 39 titles from 1979 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Masters of the Universe (1987)

$17M worldwide

Highest rated

A Day Late and a Dollar Short (2014)

Midcredits 76th

Most popular right now

Masters of the Universe (1987)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 39: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting13 of 39: 5 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thWriting32 of 39: 15 only writing, 17 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rdProducing8 of 39: 0 only producing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thOther crew4 of 39: 1 only other crew, 3 with another role

39 titles, 17 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 8 of them.

By decade

1970s2 · crew1980s4 · crew1990s9 · 1 acting · 8 crew2000s9 · crew2010s11 · crew2020s4 · 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 MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Stephen Tolkin's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 38th percentile, the median of all 21; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 28 titles are Mixed.

  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · writer, producer

Captain America (1990)

85th percentile spread · 61% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Player (1992)

Midcredits 93rd · 80% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 41/100 and the plot and story 40/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; 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 MovieCove 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 Stephen Tolkin's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 11 · minimalMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Stephen Tolkin work with?

People who share at least 2 of Stephen Tolkin's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Judith Verno shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers