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Motif
James Portolese

James Portolese

Producer and writer

Works as
Producer and writer
Titles
28 on Motif · 30 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 2% in 30 days

What are James Portolese's films like?

Across their 27 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Action12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Horror6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 5th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their Motif 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
38%
Morality
22%
Bonds
17%
Self
12%
Society
4%
Ideas
4%
Power
2%
Survival14 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 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 5 · Serious 7 · Dark 15

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

Grounded 21 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 18

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 3

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

Straight-faced 22 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 10

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

Casual 8 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 5

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

Easy watch 5 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 10

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

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Dread
16
Thrilling
6
Absurd
6
Melancholic
4
Other
11

How their films linger

Unsettling14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 11 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous8

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 James Portolese's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 28 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James Portolese's titles on Motif; 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

30 credits, 28 with a Motif page.

  • For Worse(2025)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Hypnotic(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Unhinged(2020)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • We Die Young(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Spare Room(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Beast of Burden(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Come Simi(2015)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Re-Kill(2015)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • All Stars(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning(2012)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • El Gringo(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Dragon Eyes(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Transit(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Flypaper(2011)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Scream of the Banshee(2011)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Fertile Ground(2011)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Husk(2011)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • 51(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Seconds Apart(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Ledge(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Task(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Universal Soldier: Regeneration(2009)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Prowl(2010)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • It's Alive(2009)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Beyond a Reasonable Doubt(2009)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Shepherd(2008)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Until Death(2007)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Circadian Rhythm (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    Writer

  • Funky Monkey(2004)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Boxes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Producer · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 22 titles from 2000 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Unhinged (2020)

$44M worldwide

Highest rated

Flypaper (2011)

Midcredits 54th

Most popular right now

Unhinged (2020)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing4 of 22: 3 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing19 of 22: 18 only producing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score27th

By decade

2000s7 · crew2010s12 · crew2020s3 · 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 Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do James Portolese's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 26th percentile, the median of all 28; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 31st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

21stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th13

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 28 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned5
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · producer

Funky Monkey (2004)

92nd percentile spread · 57% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

All Stars (2014)

Midcredits 60th · 65% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 33/100 and the plot and story 34/100 in their films, across 26 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif 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 James Portolese's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles68–99 · median 87 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity12 titles3–56 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles54–91 · median 87 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 82 · severeMedian 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 James Portolese work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Portolese's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Moshe Diamant shares the most, 19.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles