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R.J. Cutler

R.J. Cutler

Producer, director and writer · Great Neck, New York, USA

2 Primetime Emmys · BAFTA Award nominee · 3 other major award bodies

R. J. Cutler (born 1962; Great Neck) is an American filmmaker, documentarian, television producer and theater director. His work includes the documentary films The War Room, A Perfect Candidate, Thin, The September Issue, The World According to Dick Cheney and Listen to Me Marlon; the non-fiction television series Black. White., American High, Freshman Diaries and 30 Days; the prime time drama series Nashville; the scripted podcast, The Oval Office Tapes; and the feature film If I Stay. Cutler's first film, The War Room, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and he is the recipient of numerous awards including two Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, a GLAAD Award, two Cinema Eye Awards, and two Television Academy Honor Awards. In 2009, the Museum of Television and Radio held a five-day retrospective of his work.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

From
Great Neck, New York, USA
Works as
Producer, director and writer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 48 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 3% in 30 days

What are R.J. Cutler's films like?

Across their 29 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
31%
Society
30%
Power
13%
Ideas
8%
Survival
8%
Morality
6%
Bonds
5%
Ambition10 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themePower5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 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 9 · Serious 7 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 21 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 9 · Charged 11 · Intense 2

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

Steady 17 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 16 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 1

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 10 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 6

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

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
19
Hopeful
14
Tense
10
Warm
10
Melancholic
8
Other
13

How their films linger

Thought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous7

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 R.J. Cutler's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on HBO Max (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for R.J. Cutler'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

48 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Marc by Sofia(2025)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • BTS: The Return(2026)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Esports World Cup: Level Up(2025)

    Show Director · Creator

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop(2025)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Elton John: Never Too Late(2024)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Martha(2024)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Disappearance of Shere Hite(2023)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Anthem(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Murf the Surf(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • Murf the Surf: Jewels, Jesus, and Mayhem in the USA (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director

  • South to Black Power(2023)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Supreme Models(2022)

    Show Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry(2021)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Dear...(2020)

    Show 20 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Belushi(2020)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Kingmaker(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Jim Allison: Breakthrough(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Listen to Me Marlon(2015)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • If I Stay(2014)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The World According to Dick Cheney(2013)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Ordained(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Nashville(2012)

    Show 43 episodes · Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • One Nation Under Dog(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Fish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • The Met Ball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • The September Issue(2009)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Return of the War Room(2008)

    Executive Producer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Greatest American Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 10 episodes · Producer

  • Ten Days That Unexpectedly Changed America(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Black. White. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Producer

  • 30 Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 18 episodes · Producer

  • Making Dazed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Producer

  • Thin(2006)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Freshman Diaries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 10 episodes · Director

  • The Real Roseanne Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 8 episodes · Producer

  • American High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 14 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

  • Anita Liberty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Writer

  • A Perfect Candidate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director · Additional Sound Re-Recordist · Producer

  • The War Room(1993)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Untitled Gilmore Girls Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

  • Untitled Julie Andrews Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

  • Untitled Louvre Heist Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Untitled Olivia Newton-John Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Untitled R. J. Cutler Camp Century Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

Career shape

A full career of 42 titles, 37 of them dated from 1993 to 2026.

Biggest box office

If I Stay (2014)

$78M worldwide

Highest rated

Listen to Me Marlon (2015)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (2021)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing22 of 42: 6 only directing, 16 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndWriting6 of 42: 0 only writing, 6 with another roleProducing34 of 42: 18 only producing, 16 with another role · typical Midcredits score82ndOther crew5 of 42: 1 only other crew, 4 with another role

42 titles, 17 with more than one role — producing and directing overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

1990s3 · crew2000s11 · crew2010s7 · crew2020s16 · 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.

Awards

2 Primetime Emmys from 11 major nominations, 2001–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Documentary Screenplay
  2. 2024
    • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures
  3. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
  4. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Documentary
  5. 2009
    • Sundance award, nominated · Documentary
  6. 2006
    • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television
  7. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (Reality)
  8. 2001
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (Reality)

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do R.J. Cutler's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 87th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 82nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · producer

South to Black Power (2023)

99th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Listen to Me Marlon (2015)

Midcredits 98th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 67/100 and the pacing 48/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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.

Who does R.J. Cutler work with?

People who share at least 2 of R.J. Cutler's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Trevor Smith shares the most, 16.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

  • Trevor Smith16 titles    See newest 12 of 16 shared titles with Trevor Smith
  • Elise Pearlstein11 titles    See all 11 shared titles with Elise Pearlstein
  • Ian Egos10 titles    See all 10 shared titles with Ian Egos
  • Jane Cha Cutler8 titles    See all 8 shared titles with Jane Cha Cutler

Mixed roles