Skip to content
MovieCove
Jonathan Lynn

Jonathan Lynn

Actor, writer, director and producer · Born April 3, 1943 (83) · Bath, Somerset, England, UK

Jonathan Lynn (born 3 April 1943) is an English stage and film director, producer, writer, and actor. He is known for directing the comedy films such as Clue, Nuns on the Run, My Cousin Vinny, and The Whole Nine Yards. He also co-created and co-wrote the television series Yes Minister. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jonathan Lynn, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 3, 1943 (83)
From
Bath, Somerset, England, UK
Works as
Actor, writer, director and producer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 50 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 39 days to Oct 28Up 4% in 30 days

What are Jonathan Lynn's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action 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
Morality
35%
Bonds
34%
Power
13%
Society
9%
Self
5%
Survival
2%
Ideas
2%
Deception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 13 · Serious 0 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 11 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 8 · Charged 6 · Intense 0

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

Steady 9 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 10

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

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
9
Joyful
8
Warm
8
Tense
6
Hopeful
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet1
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

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 Jonathan Lynn's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jonathan Lynn'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, 20 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Clue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Writer

  • Yes, Prime Minister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Creator · Producer · Writer

  • Wild Target(2010)

    Director · as Parrot (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • He's Such a Girl(2009)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Vanity Fair(2004)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Fighting Temptations(2003)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Whole Nine Yards(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • One Man Band (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Tailor's Assistant

  • Trial and Error(1997)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Sgt. Bilko(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Greedy(1994)

    Director · as Douglas

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Distinguished Gentleman(1992)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • My Cousin Vinny(1992)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Life After Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Writer

  • Three Men and a Little Lady(1990)

    as Vicar Hewitt

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Ferris Bueller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Nuns on the Run(1990)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Suspicion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Writer

  • Yes, Prime Minister(1986)

    Show 16 episodes · Creator · Writer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Clue(1985)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Into the Night(1985)

    as Tailor

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Twee handen op een buik (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Theatre Play

  • Diana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · as Twining

  • Arms and the Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • The Funny Side of Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Writer

  • Outside Edge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Kevin

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

    Show 1 episode · Teleplay · as Gordon Cochrane 'Beaky' Thwaite

  • Breaking Glass(1980)

    as Radio DJ

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Yes Minister(1980)

    Show 21 episodes · Creator · Writer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Knowledge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Ted Margolies

  • Dinner at the Sporting Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Cyril Benson

  • She Fell Among Thieves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Gaston

  • BBC2 Play of the Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Gaston

  • Bar Mitzvah Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Harold

  • My Brother's Keeper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 13 episodes · Actor

  • The Good Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Window Cleaner

  • The Internecine Project(1974)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Romance with a Double Bass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Leader of the Orchestra

  • Colditz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Bergman

  • Doctor in Charge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Danny Hooley

  • Romany Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • The House That Dripped Blood(1971)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Rumour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • The Merchant of Venice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Tubal

  • Doctor in the House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 26 episodes · Actor

  • On the Buses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

  • The Jazz Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Harry Plant

  • Nearest and Dearest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Prudence and the Pill(1968)

    as Chemist's Assistant

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Twice a Fortnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 10 episodes · Actor

Career shape

A full career of 50 titles from 1967 to 2022.

Biggest box office

The Whole Nine Yards (2000)

$106M worldwide

Highest rated

Yes, Prime Minister (1986)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Clue (1985)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting26 of 50: 23 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thDirecting13 of 50: 7 only directing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thWriting15 of 50: 9 only writing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score89thProducing4 of 50: 2 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew3 of 50: 0 only other crew, 3 with another role

50 titles, 9 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1960s7 · 5 acting · 2 crew1970s14 · 12 acting · 2 crew1980s12 · 5 acting · 8 crew1990s10 · 3 acting · 8 crew2000s4 · crew2010s2 · 1 acting · 2 crew2020s1 · crew

Billing

usually 19th · top billed in 0% of 6 roles

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.

How do Jonathan Lynn's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · producer

He's Such a Girl (2009)

72nd percentile spread · 51% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Yes Minister (1980)

Midcredits 97th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 46. 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 Jonathan Lynn's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 46 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles27–58 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles27–76 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 35 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles12–31 · median 26 · mildlighter 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 Jonathan Lynn work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jonathan Lynn's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tony Lombardo shares the most, 5.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles