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John Lurie

John Lurie

Actor, composer, writer and director · Born December 14, 1952 (73) · Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

John Lurie (born December 14, 1952) is an American musician, painter, actor, director, and producer. He co-founded The Lounge Lizards jazz ensemble, has acted in 19 films, including Stranger than Paradise and Down by Law, has composed and performed music for 20 television and film works, and produced, directed, and starred in the Fishing with John television series. In 1996 his soundtrack for Get Shorty was nominated for a Grammy Award, and his album The Legendary Marvin Pontiac: Greatest Hits has been praised by critics and musicians alike. Since 2000 Lurie has suffered from chronic Lyme disease and has focused his attention on painting.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 14, 1952 (73)
From
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Works as
Actor, composer, writer and director
Titles
26 on MovieCove · 47 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 65 days to Oct 28Down 19% in 30 days

What are John Lurie's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
Self
27%
Bonds
20%
Society
15%
Morality
14%
Survival
9%
Ideas
9%
Power
6%
Identity6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt3 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 12 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 9 · Intense 2

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

Steady 9 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 12 · 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

A split, not a type: Casual 10 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 9 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 6

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles
Herald
1 of 4
Shadow
1 of 4
Trickster
1 of 4
Ally
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Melancholic
9
Contemplative
9
Absurd
9
Joyful
5
Other
15

How their films linger

Fun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous8
  • Cyclical3

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 John Lurie's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 26 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Lurie'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

47 credits, 26 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain(2021)

    Additional Music · as Self - Artist / Friend

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Painting with John(2021)

    Show 18 episodes · Director · Composer · Creator · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Mobsters(2007)

    Show 8 episodes · as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • 5 Sides of a Coin(2003)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Tortured by Joy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Narrator

  • Animal Cops: Houston(2003)

    Show as Narrator (2003-2004)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Some Days in January, 1984 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • Animal Factory(2000)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Sleepwalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Frank

  • SpongeBob SquarePants(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Fisherman

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • New Rose Hotel(1998)

    as Distinguished Man

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Clay Pigeons(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Lulu on the Bridge(1998)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Excess Baggage(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Wrong Guys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Composer

  • Just Your Luck(1996)

    as Coker

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Manny & Lo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • Get Shorty(1995)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Blue in the Face(1995)

    Composer · as Saxophone player

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Figaro Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Composer

  • Brace Up! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Composer

  • John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards Live in Berlin 1991 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Alto & Soprano Saxophone

  • Fishing with John (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Composer · Creator · Screenplay · as Self

  • Death By Unnatural Causes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Composer

  • Keep It for Yourself (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Composer

  • Wild at Heart(1990)

    as Sparky

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Mystery Train(1989)

    Composer · Musician

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Little Devil(1988)

    as Cusatelli

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Last Temptation of Christ(1988)

    as James, Apostle

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Police Story: Monster Manor(1988)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Down by Law(1986)

    Composer · as Jack

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Kitchen Presents: Two Moon July (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Desperately Seeking Susan(1985)

    as Neighbor Saxophonist

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • Variety(1983)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Stranger Than Paradise(1984)

    Composer · Idea · as Willie

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Paris, Texas(1984)

    as 'Slater'

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Kino '84: The Making of Jim Jarmusch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Interviewee

  • Stranger Than Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Willie

  • Subway Riders(1981)

    Composer · as The Saxophonist

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Permanent Vacation(1980)

    Composer · Musician · as Sax Player

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Underground U.S.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Jack Smith

  • The Offenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as The Lizard

  • Sleepless Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer · Actor

  • Men in Orbit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director · Writer · as Astronaut

  • Red Italy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Actor

  • Rome '78 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 45 titles from 1978 to 2021; peak year 1985.

Biggest box office

Get Shorty (1995)

$115M worldwide

Highest rated

Down by Law (1986)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Get Shorty (1995)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19782021

Peak 1985 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting29 of 45: 22 only acting, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score87thDirecting3 of 45: 0 only directing, 3 with another roleWriting4 of 45: 0 only writing, 4 with another roleMusic22 of 45: 13 only music, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thOther crew4 of 45: 0 only other crew, 4 with another role

45 titles, 10 with more than one role — acting and music overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1970s4 · 4 acting · 2 crew1980s16 · 14 acting · 6 crew1990s17 · 6 acting · 12 crew2000s6 · 5 acting · 1 crew2020s2 · crew

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 18% of 11 roles
8186

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do John Lurie's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th6

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · composer

Police Story: Monster Manor (1988)

79th percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Paris, Texas (1984)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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 John Lurie's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles14–66 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles50–84 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles41–58 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian 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 John Lurie work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Lurie's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jim Jarmusch shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles