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Russell Smith

Producer · Born April 21, 1954 (72) · Springfield, Illinois, USA

Oscar nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Russell Smith was born on 21 April 1954 in Springfield, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Juno (2007), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) and Labor Day (2013).

Biography from IMDb.

Born
April 21, 1954 (72)
From
Springfield, Illinois, USA
Works as
Producer
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 22 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 26% in 30 days

What are Russell Smith's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
30%
Bonds
28%
Morality
14%
Survival
13%
Society
6%
Power
4%
Ideas
4%
Friendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 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 4 · Serious 6 · Dark 8

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

Grounded 11 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 8 · Intense 7

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 9 · 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 8 · 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 9 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 2

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 10

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

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
12
Tense
9
Warm
4
Bittersweet
4
Contemplative
4
Other
13

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet9
  • 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 Russell Smith's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Russell Smith'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

22 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page.

  • Demolition(2015)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Cesar Chavez(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Labor Day(2013)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Jeff, Who Lives at Home(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Young Adult(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Making of 'The Darjeeling Limited' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Quality Control Supervisor

  • Abel(2010)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Which Way Home(2009)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Juno(2007)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Art School Confidential(2006)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Libertine(2004)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Kill the Poor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Producer

  • The Dancer Upstairs(2002)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Ripley's Game(2002)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Ghost World(2001)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Man in the Iron Mask(1998)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Liberty Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Writers' Production

  • Of Mice and Men(1992)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Queens Logic(1991)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Miles from Home(1988)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Say Her Name (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

Career shape

A full career of 21 titles, 20 of them dated from 1991 to 2016.

Biggest box office

Juno (2007)

$232M worldwide

Highest rated

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Midcredits 98th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing1 of 21: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleProducing19 of 21: 19 only producing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score70thOther crew1 of 21: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s4 · crew2000s8 · crew2010s8 · 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

2 major awards from 4 major nominations, 2008–2013.

WinNomination
  1. 2013
    • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best First Feature
  2. 2008
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Feature

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 Russell Smith's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · producer

Abel (2010)

54th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

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 Russell Smith's work okay for kids?

Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles22–45 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles28–63 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles31–73 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles26–66 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles12–61 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Russell Smith work with?

People who share at least 2 of Russell Smith's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Malkovich shares the most, 15.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers