Trailer

Upstream Color

2013Movie1 h 36 minNR

75
GreatGoodWatch score

An open-ended, melancholic drama movie about mystery and the mind.

Good for date night · friends night · teens

Skip it if you want fast pacing

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

You can force your story's shape, but the color will always bloom upstream.

A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the lifecycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives.

Feels like

  • Existential Mystery
  • Psychological Drama
  • Surreal Narrative
  • Philosophical Themes
  • Slow Burn
  • Intriguing & Ambiguous
  • Character-Driven
  • Independent Film

Cast

Crew

Directed by
Shane Carruth
Written by
Shane Carruth

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 5, 2013 · 1 h 36 min · NR

Released
April 5, 2013
Runtime
1 h 36 min
Age rating
NR
Genres
Drama, Science Fiction
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$100,000
Box office
$444,098
Available in
47 countries

Tropes

Mind-Control Device, Cut Lex Luthor a Check, Mind-Control Music +9

  • Mind-Control Device
  • Cut Lex Luthor a Check
  • Mind-Control Music
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?
  • Everything Is an Instrument
  • Synchronization
  • Cardboard Box of Unemployment
  • Silence Is Golden
  • You Can See Me?
  • Minimalism
  • Mindlink Mates
  • Imagine Spotting

12 of 40 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream Upstream Color?"

Questions about Upstream Color

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Upstream Color?

In the United States, you can rent or buy Upstream Color from Apple TV Store, YouTube, and Google Play Movies. It streams in 15 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is Upstream Color worth watching?

75
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 75 (IMDb 6.5, Rotten Tomatoes 87%, and Metacritic 81). Critics rate it higher (84 out of 100) than audiences (67).

Can I half-watch Upstream Color?

Easy watchDemanding

No, it needs your attention: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for ambiguity and 7 for complexity.

What tropes does Upstream Color use?

Mind-Control DeviceCut Lex Luthor a CheckMind-Control MusicDoes This Remind You of Anything?Everything Is an InstrumentSynchronizationCardboard Box of UnemploymentSilence Is GoldenYou Can See Me?MinimalismMindlink MatesImagine Spottingand 28 more

TV Tropes lists 40 tropes for it, including Mind-Control Device, Cut Lex Luthor a Check, and Mind-Control Music.