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Jennifer Lynch

Jennifer Lynch

Director and writer · Born April 7, 1968 (58) · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Sundance award nominee

Jennifer Chambers Lynch (born April 7, 1968) is an American film director, screenwriter, and author. The eldest child of filmmaker David Lynch, she made her directorial debut with the film Boxing Helena (1993), which was a critical and commercial failure; despite being nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, it earned her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director. The negative reception and controversy surrounding the film led to Lynch taking a 15-year hiatus from filmmaking. Lynch returned to directing with Surveillance (2008), which received mixed reviews but won the top prize at the Sitges Film Festival. She directed the Bollywood horror film Hisss (2010), which she disowned after the production was completed without her involvement. Her fourth film, Chained (2012), was met with a positive critical reception. She has since focused on television, directing episodes of Psych, Teen Wolf, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Once Upon a Time, Hawaii Five-0, Elementary, The Strain, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., 9-1-1, and Ratched. Outside of filmmaking, Lynch wrote the book The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer (1990). Told from the perspective of the character of the same name from her father's television series Twin Peaks, the novel was a commercial success, reaching No. 4 on The New York Times paperback fiction best seller list that year. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jennifer Lynch, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 7, 1968 (58)
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Director and writer
Titles
42 on MovieCove · 50 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What are Jennifer Lynch's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
33%
Morality
22%
Survival
17%
Society
10%
Power
8%
Bonds
6%
Ideas
4%
Identity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 0 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 0 · Intense 3

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

Steady 0 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 0 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 2

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

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 3

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

Resolved 0 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Dread
4
Melancholic
5
Contemplative
3
Absurd
3
Other
6

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6

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 Jennifer Lynch's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 42 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jennifer Lynch'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

50 credits, 42 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Murdaugh: Death in the Family(2025)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Watson(2024)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Odyssey(2024)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Matlock(2024)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • American Sports Story(2024)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • The Watcher(2022)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • The Lincoln Lawyer(2022)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Monster(2022)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Gossip Girl(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Big Sky(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Ratched(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • 9-1-1: Lone Star(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Rookie(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • 9-1-1(2018)

    Show 7 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Kevin (Probably) Saves the World(2017)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Salvation(2017)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Feud(2017)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Trash Fire(2016)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Recovery Road(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Second Chance(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • South of Hell(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Actor

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Jessica Jones(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Quantico(2015)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Zoo(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Wayward Pines(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Daredevil(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Strain(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Finding Carter(2014)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Five Directors' Interpretations of Opening Suite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Vacation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Camera Operator · Producer

  • How to Have a Happy Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Chained(2012)

    Director · Screenplay · as Cooking Show Host

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Lipstick Girl (TV)

  • Once Upon a Time(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Girls! Girls! Girls! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • American Horror Story(2011)

    Show 12 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Teen Wolf(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • The Walking Dead(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Hisss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Writer

  • Hawaii Five-0(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Warehouse 13(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Surveillance(2008)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Psych(2006)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Boxing Helena(1993)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Blue Velvet(1986)

    Production Assistant

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Eraserhead(1977)

    as Little Girl

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • A Fall from Grace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer

Career shape

A full career of 49 titles, 48 of them dated from 1977 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Boxing Helena (1993)

$1.8M worldwide

Highest rated

Feud (2017)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

Matlock (2024)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 49: 2 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting44 of 49: 38 only directing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thWriting5 of 49: 1 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing1 of 49: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew3 of 49: 2 only other crew, 1 with another role

49 titles, 6 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s1 · crew1990s1 · crew2000s3 · crew2010s30 · 3 acting · 29 crew2020s12 · 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

Nominated for a Sundance award in 1993, Dramatic.

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 Jennifer Lynch's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 6; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 42 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 42 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser24
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · director

Watson (2024)

82nd percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Daredevil (2015)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 62/100 and the pacing 37/100 in their films, across 3 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.

Is Jennifer Lynch's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles13–87 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles29–74 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles27–82 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles31–79 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles22–83 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most 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 Jennifer Lynch work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jennifer Lynch's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ryan Murphy shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles