Mississippi Grind (2015)
75%RT Audience Score: 55%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 3 nominations
Well-acted and steeped in Southern atmosphere, Mississippi Grind is a road movie and addiction drama that transcends each of its well-worn genres
Mississippi Grind is like a game of poker – it’s unpredictable, full of highs and lows, and sometimes you just have to go all in. The film follows two guys who can’t seem to catch a break, but their journey is anything but a downer. With a killer blues soundtrack and top-notch acting, Mississippi Grind is a road trip movie that’s worth taking. Just don’t blame us if you end up wanting to hit the casino afterwards.
Production Company(ies)
CNN Films, HBO Max Tremolo Productions,
Distributor
A24
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Mobile, Alabama, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
2015
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 48m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 25, 2015 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2015
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Mississippi Grind, drama, road movie, addiction drama, Ryan Reynolds, Ben Mendelsohn, Sienna Miller, directed by Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, written by Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, produced by Tom Rice, Ben Nearn, Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell Taylor, reviewed by David Stratton, Jason Bailey, Stephen Romei, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Tim Robey, Eddie Harrison, Olly Richards, Tyler Smith, Dan Scully, Chris McCoy, Alex Flood, R-rated, Southern atmosphere, gambling addict, high-stakes poker game, New Orleans, Dolby, box office gross $129.7K, A24
Worldwide gross: $422,746
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $527,700
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,725
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 57,546
US/Canada gross: $130,541
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $162,950
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,579
US/Canada opening weekend: $12,434
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $15,521
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,590
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $7,489,610
Production budget ranking: 1,791
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $4,033,155
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$10,995,065
ROI to date (est.): -95%
ROI ranking: 1,998
Ben Mendelsohn – Gerry
Sienna Miller – Simone
Lio Tipton – Vanessa
Robin Weigert – Dorothy
Alfre Woodard – Self
Ryan Fleck – Director/Writer
Anna Boden – Director/Writer
Tom Rice – Producer
Ben Nearn – Producer
Jamie Patricof – Producer
Lynette Howell Taylor – Producer
Director(s)
Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Writer(s)
Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Producer(s)
Tom Rice, Ben Nearn, Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell Taylor
Film Festivals
Sundance, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (121) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (110) | Rotten (11)
It’s a terrific film, but it came and went in cinemas before many people could discover it.
November 30, 2018
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
A loose, funky character study of two guys who can only frame their station as “can’t win” and “can’t lose,” and can’t really imagine a life that’s anywhere in between.
May 3, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
This one defies easy expectations, right up to its strange (in a good way) ending. The blues soundtrack is excellent, too.
December 11, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
It’s a sketch of a film, but more than workable as a vehicle for Mendelsohn at his delicate, tragicomic best.
December 10, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
Jake Wilson
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Mendelsohn seems at ease on the razor’s edge that divides the radiant from the wretched.
October 25, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Charlotte O’Sullivan
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
From its unshowy script on down, Mississippi Grind is content to rumble along as a character piece, keeping its storytelling loose and unpredictable, like a repeat flick of the dice.
October 25, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
…has an energy and a loucheness all of its own…
September 23, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
June 8, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Olly Richards
NME
While at times the dialogue may get a bit too clever, and the general story may dip too often into plot convenience, the acting is top notch, and does just as much to sell the desperation of this world as the dark, moody cinematography…
January 15, 2021
Tyler Smith
Battleship Pretension
On that note, I should probably add that the film isn’t all downer drama, and is actually quite funny and joyful, even at the characters’ most pitiable moments, and it features a rockin’ soundtrack of classic southern blues.
April 7, 2020
Dan Scully
Cinema76
It’s a surprising film that wrests unexpected pleasures out of some extremely depressing situations, but it’s still not going to convince me to make a return visit to a casino any time soon.
January 10, 2020
Chris McCoy
Memphis Flyer
A perfectly enjoyable, but forgettable, road flick for a sleepy Sunday evening, but Ryan Reynolds’ latest step on the comeback trail isn’t the winning hand he’d hoped for.
April 18, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Alex Flood
One Room With A View…
Plot
Down on his luck and facing financial hardship, Gerry teams up with a younger, charismatic poker player named Curtis in an attempt to change his luck. The two set off on a road trip through the South with visions of winning back what has been lost.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn as two compulsive gamblers on a road trip through Mississippi.
Ryan-Fleck.jpg
