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Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan

Cinematographer, also actor · Born June 25, 1937 (89) · Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Born
June 25, 1937 (89)
From
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Cinematographer, also actor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 26 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 23% in 30 days

What are Paul Ryan's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Adventure 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
43%
Bonds
22%
Power
18%
Morality
10%
Survival
4%
Society
3%
Freedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 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 7 · Serious 4 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 8 · Intense 2

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 1

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 9 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Contemplative
5
Joyful
4
Warm
5
Melancholic
4
Other
13

How their films linger

Feel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3

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 Paul Ryan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Ryan'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

26 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page.

  • Soros(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Her Best Move(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Welcome to California (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Cinematographer

  • Admissions(2004)

    Cinematographer · as Man

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Spin(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Easy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Cinematographer

  • Big Bad Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Cinematographer

  • Wildflowers(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Thomas and the Magic Railroad(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • A Simple Plan(1998)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Box of Moonlight(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • A Passion to Kill(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • And the Band Played On(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Where the Rivers Flow North(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Alan & Naomi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • A Matter of Degrees(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Lonely Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Cinematographer

  • Servants of Twilight(1991)

    Additional Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • You Talkin' to Me?(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Fraternity Vacation(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Cat's Eye(1985)

    Additional Photography

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Hot Dog... The Movie(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Riding Fast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • Cheerleaders' Wild Weekend(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Days of Heaven(1978)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Mirrors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Assistant Camera

Career shape

A full career of 26 titles from 1978 to 2019.

Biggest box office

Hot Dog... The Movie (1984)

$20M worldwide

Highest rated

Box of Moonlight (1996)

Midcredits 85th

Most popular right now

Admissions (2004)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 26: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleCinematography24 of 26: 23 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score25thOther crew2 of 26: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s3 · crew1980s5 · crew1990s9 · crew2000s8 · 1 acting · 8 crew2010s1 · 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.

How do Paul Ryan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 28th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 23rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 19 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Divisive2
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · cinematographer

Soros (2019)

98th percentile spread · 55% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Days of Heaven (1978)

Midcredits 96th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 65/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 52. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

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 Paul Ryan's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Paul Ryan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Ryan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Melissa Painter shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Producers