American Movie
1999 · 104 min · Director: Chris Smith
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
On the northwest side of Milwaukee, Mark Borchardt dreams the American dream: for him, it's making movies. Using relatives, local theater talent, slacker friends, his Mastercard, and $3,000 from his Uncle Bill, Mark strives over three years to finish "Coven," a short horror film. His own personal demons (alcohol, gambling, a dysfunctional family) plague him, but he desperately wants to overcome self-doubt and avoid failure. In moments of reflection, Mark sees his story as quintessentially American, and its the nature and nuance of his dream that this film explores.
Emotional fingerprint
American Movie (1999) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Humor 30%, Empathy 25%, Inspiration 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Humor30%
- Empathy25%
- Inspiration20%
- Anxiety15%
- Satisfaction10%
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 Humor, Empathy, Inspiration. Genres: Comedy, Documentary. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Humor, Empathy and Inspiration. Its IMDb rating of 7.8/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 73/100.
How did it make you feel?
Votes are saved to the fingerprint once you’re signed in.
Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Hope
- Empathy
- Sadness
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Empathy
Dominant emotion: Hope
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion: Humor
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Hope | Empathy | Sadness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Empathy | 42 % | 28 % | 33 % | 22 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 8′ | Hope | 38 % | 27 % | 28 % | 15 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 13′ | Empathy | 35 % | 24 % | 25 % | 13 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 18′ | Hope | 34 % | 25 % | 25 % | 11 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 23′ | Hope | 35 % | 31 % | 29 % | 13 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 29′ | Hope | 41 % | 32 % | 33 % | 14 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 34′ | Tension | 44 % | 20 % | 32 % | 16 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 39′ | Sadness | 40 % | 9 % | 33 % | 24 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 44′ | Sadness | 36 % | 9 % | 32 % | 24 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 49′ | Humor | 36 % | 15 % | 35 % | 21 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 55′ | Empathy | 40 % | 25 % | 39 % | 25 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 60′ | Empathy | 40 % | 29 % | 36 % | 24 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 65′ | Hope | 36 % | 23 % | 28 % | 16 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 70′ | Humor | 39 % | 16 % | 26 % | 16 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 75′ | Empathy | 40 % | 16 % | 31 % | 23 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 81′ | Sadness | 35 % | 20 % | 29 % | 23 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 86′ | Hope | 36 % | 26 % | 26 % | 19 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 91′ | Tension | 46 % | 34 % | 33 % | 18 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 96′ | Hope | 54 % | 40 % | 41 % | 24 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 101′ | Hope | 53 % | 42 % | 45 % | 33 % |
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
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
Filmmaker
Mark's Mom
Mark's Brother
Mark's Brother
Friend / Associate Producer
Casting Director
Mark's Uncle / Executive Producer
Mark's Dad
Production Manager
Mark's Girlfriend / Associate Producer
Actor in ‘Coven’
The Movie Star
Mark's Daughter
Actor in 'Coven'
Self (uncredited)
Props/Special Effects
Details
- Directed by
- Chris Smith
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 1999
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Country
- United States
- Genres
- Comedy, Documentary
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Humor
- Data updated
Where to watch
Rent
Feels similar
More like this →Emotion overlap shows mood similarity, not a prediction of enjoyment.
