The Indian Runner
1991 · 127 min · Director: Sean Penn
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
An intensely sad film about two brothers who cannot overcome their opposite perceptions of life. One brother sees and feels bad in everyone and everything, subsequently he is violent, antisocial and unable to appreciate or enjoy the good things which his brother desperately tries to point out to him. Frank understands the atrocities of life as a big picture; Joe does not. Joe is content to enjoy smaller pleasures: children, family, routine. Joe mistakenly believes he can straighten his little brother out and convince him that life is good. Frank is a cursed man. He is cut between his love for his brother and his repulsion at self-indulgent contentment. The result is a painful story of heartbreak, heartache, disappointment, despair, and the tragic side of love.
Emotional fingerprint
The Indian Runner (1991) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Sadness 35%, Empathy 30%, Anxiety 15%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Sadness35%
- Empathy30%
- Anxiety15%
- Love10%
- Melancholy10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Sadness, Empathy, Anxiety. Genres: Drama. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Sadness, Empathy and Anxiety. Its IMDb rating of 6.9/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 71/100.
How did it make you feel?
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Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Empathy
- Sadness
- Tension
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion: Love
Dominant emotion: Empathy
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Hope
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Empathy | Sadness | Tension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Sadness | 65 % | 53 % | 52 % | 50 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 10′ | Love | 53 % | 41 % | 34 % | 40 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 16′ | Sadness | 44 % | 36 % | 25 % | 30 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 22′ | Love | 43 % | 38 % | 25 % | 29 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 29′ | Love | 43 % | 38 % | 26 % | 31 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 35′ | Empathy | 41 % | 38 % | 28 % | 31 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 41′ | Sadness | 53 % | 49 % | 44 % | 31 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 48′ | Sadness | 69 % | 63 % | 64 % | 35 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 54′ | Sadness | 66 % | 59 % | 56 % | 44 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 60′ | Tension | 63 % | 50 % | 39 % | 49 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 67′ | Love | 66 % | 43 % | 24 % | 35 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 73′ | Hope | 71 % | 44 % | 20 % | 34 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 79′ | Tension | 76 % | 56 % | 39 % | 59 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 86′ | Tension | 75 % | 64 % | 57 % | 63 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 92′ | Sadness | 73 % | 63 % | 59 % | 52 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 98′ | Tension | 76 % | 59 % | 56 % | 64 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 105′ | Tension | 83 % | 60 % | 55 % | 79 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 111′ | Tension | 85 % | 65 % | 55 % | 65 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 117′ | Sadness | 85 % | 70 % | 65 % | 35 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 124′ | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence |
Icarus
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Kadri — your film companion
AIAsk anything about The Indian Runner. From the film’s own dialogue and FeelDB data, at your spoiler level.
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Randall
Rafael
Mr. Baker
12-Year-Old Joe Roberts
7-Year-Old Frank Roberts
Lady at Car Wash
Deputy #1
Doctor
Hotel Manager
Clyde
Lucy
Details
Where to watch
Also on
Availability varies by country
Feels similar
More like this →Emotion overlap shows mood similarity, not a prediction of enjoyment.
