The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
Kernel Score: 83% · 695 ratings · Rated NC-17
Genres: Crime, Drama
Released: 1989-10-13
Runtime: 124 minutes
Where to watch The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover parents' guide: ages 16+
Parents need to know that this NC-17 film contains extreme sadism, murder, sexual content, cannibalism, and brutal public humiliation, making it wholly unsuitable for minors.
- Violence & scariness: Intense — Depicts brutal mob violence, sadism, murder, and graphic public humiliation including forced-feeding cruelty.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Intense — Contains explicit sexuality, an adulterous affair, and graphic nudity central to the plot.
- Language: Moderate — Crude, degrading language is used by the abusive mobster antagonist throughout.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official NC-17 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
If you liked The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Natural Born Killers (1994) — 80%
- A Clockwork Orange (1971) — 90%
- Se7en (1995) — 92%
- The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014) — 83%
- The Taste of Things (2023) — 80%
- Sin City (2005) — 84%
- Fargo (1996) — 86%
- Delicious (2021) — 73%
Director
Peter Greenaway
Cast
- Michael Gambon as Albert Spica
- Richard Bohringer as Richard Boarst
- Helen Mirren as Georgina Spica
- Alan Howard as Michael
- Tim Roth as Mitchel
- Ciarán Hinds as Cory
- Liz Smith as Grace
- Gary Olsen as Spangler
- Ewan Stewart as Harris
- Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Turpin
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover FAQ
Is The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover good?
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover has an 83% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 695 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover?
In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Is The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover OK for kids?
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is rated NC-17. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 16+. Parents need to know that this NC-17 film contains extreme sadism, murder, sexual content, cannibalism, and brutal public humiliation, making it wholly unsuitable for minors.
What movies are like The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover?
If you liked The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, try Natural Born Killers, A Clockwork Orange, Se7en and The Hundred-Foot Journey.