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Trailer

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

2004Movie1 h 59 minR

Comedy
67
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.2Letterboxd3.8/5Metacritic627.7Rotten Tomatoes57%82%

An eccentric, melancholic adventure movie about family and show business, with standout direction and cinematography.

Good for date night · friends night · teens

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for scares or brutality.

Movies with

Story

The deeper you go, the weirder life gets.

Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew. In addition to his regular team, he is joined on his boat by Ned, a man who believes Zissou to be his father, and Jane, a journalist pregnant by a married man. They travel the sea, all too often running into pirates and, perhaps more traumatically, various figures from Zissou's past, including his estranged wife, Eleanor.

Feels like

  • Quirky Adventure Comedy
  • Wes Anderson Style
  • Melancholy & Whimsical
  • Found Family Themes
  • Eccentric Characters
  • Visually Distinctive
  • Nostalgic Undercurrents
  • Unique Soundtrack
  • Satirical

Cast

24 of 29

Crew

Directed by
Wes Anderson
Written by
Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach
Produced by
Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Barry Mendel
Music by
Mark Mothersbaugh

Everyone

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

Facts

December 10, 2004 · 1 h 59 min · R

Released
December 10, 2004
Runtime
1 h 59 min
Age rating
R
Genres
Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Original language
English
Also spoken
Icelandic, Portuguese, French, Filipino, German, Italian
Made in
United States
Budget
$50 million
Box office
$35 million
Available in
75 countries

Tropes

Gentleman Adventurer, Bottomless Magazines, Pre-Asskicking One-Liner +9

  • Gentleman Adventurer
  • Bottomless Magazines
  • Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
  • Leaning on the Fourth Wall
  • Technician vs. Performer
  • Rapid Aging
  • Jerkass with a Heart of Gold
  • Everyone Is Bi
  • The Guards Must Be Crazy
  • Precision F-Strike
  • Short Cuts Make Long Delays
  • Mock Cousteau

12 of 58 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou?"

Questions about The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou?

In the United States, you can rent or buy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It streams in 60 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou worth watching?

67
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 67 (IMDb 7.2, Letterboxd 3.8 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 57%, and Metacritic 62). Audiences rate it higher (77 out of 100) than critics (60).

Will The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou make me laugh?

Funny

Yes: the humor is mostly sharp wit (8 of 10) and absurd humor (7 of 10).

Is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and dialogue centrality (7 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou a box office flop?

Budget$50 million
Box office$35 million

Yes: it cost about $50 million to make and earned $35 million worldwide, 70% of its budget.

What tropes does The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou use?

Gentleman AdventurerBottomless MagazinesPre-Asskicking One-LinerLeaning on the Fourth WallTechnician vs. PerformerRapid AgingJerkass with a Heart of GoldEveryone Is BiThe Guards Must Be CrazyPrecision F-StrikeShort Cuts Make Long DelaysMock Cousteauand 46 more

TV Tropes lists 58 tropes for it, including Gentleman Adventurer, Bottomless Magazines, and Pre-Asskicking One-Liner.