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Trailer

The Watermelon Woman

1997Movie1 h 25 min

ComedyDrama
74
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.1Metacritic746.4Rotten Tomatoes92%56%

A nostalgic, hopeful drama movie about everyday modern life and growing up.

Good for date night · friends night · teens

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Not for scares, adrenaline or brutality.

Movies with

Story

Sometimes you have to create your own history.

A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.

Feels like

  • Indie Cinema
  • LGBTQ+ Film
  • Historical Fiction
  • Meta-Narrative Exploration
  • Identity and Representation
  • Black Lesbian Filmmaking
  • Nostalgic and Sentimental
  • Character-Driven Story
  • Social Commentary

Cast

9 of 9

Crew

Directed by
Cheryl Dunye
Written by
Cheryl Dunye
Produced by
Alexandra Juhasz, Barry Swimar
Music by
Paul Shapiro

Everyone

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

Facts

March 5, 1997 · 1 h 25 min · Sexual Content, Strong Language

Released
March 5, 1997
Runtime
1 h 25 min
Content
Sexual Content, Strong Language
Genres
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
134 countries

Tropes

Based on a Great Big Lie, Bittersweet Ending, Black Is Bigger in Bed +8

  • Based on a Great Big Lie
  • Bittersweet Ending
  • Black Is Bigger in Bed
  • Butch Lesbian
  • Casting Gag
  • Fun with Acronyms
  • No Ending
  • Took the Bad Film Seriously
  • Hollywood Tone-Deaf
  • Foreshadowing
  • Where da White Women At?

From TV Tropes.

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream The Watermelon Woman?"

Questions about The Watermelon Woman

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Watermelon Woman?

Kanopy

In the United States, The Watermelon Woman is free with ads on Kanopy. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 133 other countries.

Is The Watermelon Woman worth watching?

74
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 74 (IMDb 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes 92%, and Metacritic 74). Critics rate it higher (83 out of 100) than audiences (64).

Will The Watermelon Woman make me laugh?

Light

Now and then: the humor is mostly satire (6 of 10) and sharp wit (5 of 10).

Is The Watermelon Woman good for date night?

and 2 moreDate NightPartner WatchAdultsFriends NightPublic Viewing Safe

Yes: romance is 6 of 10, and the viewing guide lists it for date night.