2002 – 2013
Mumblecore
Low-budget American films of the 2000s made with friends, with natural dialogue and very little plot, about the awkward relationships of young adults. The mumble in the name is the half-improvised talk. Its neighbours and heirs are included.
Around 2002 to 2009 a group of young American filmmakers made very low-budget films with friends, often shot on digital video, with natural, half-improvised talk and very little plot. The name comes from the mumbling dialogue. Andrew Bujalski's Funny Ha Ha, Joe Swanberg's Hannah Takes the Stairs, the Duplass brothers' The Puffy Chair and Lynn Shelton's Humpday are typical of it. The films are about 20-somethings, jobs, friendships and awkward love. Several people from the group, such as Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach's circle, later reached bigger productions. This page also includes close neighbours and heirs of the style.
- Where
- The United States, spread over Austin, Chicago, New York and Seattle
- When
- About 2002 to 2013
- Key figures
- Lynn Shelton, Alex Ross Perry, Josh and Benny Safdie, Bob Byington, Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, Sean Baker
- Landmark films
- Nights and Weekends (2008), Humpday (2009), Daddy Longlegs (2009), Your Sister's Sister (2011), Frances Ha (2012)
- Legacy
- A way for young filmmakers to start with a camera and friends, and a source of later American independent film
What to look for
- Natural, overlapping, half-improvised talk
- Small, everyday settings such as flats and cars, and amateur or nearly amateur actors
- Awkward silences and unfinished feelings instead of a neat plot
If you are new to Mumblecore, take a look at our guide to start.
Famous Directors
Lynn SheltonUSA
Alex Ross PerryUSA
Josh SafdieUSA
Bob ByingtonUSA
Greta GerwigUSA
Noah BaumbachUSA
Sean BakerUSA
Barry JenkinsUSA
Andrew BujalskiUSA
Joe SwanbergUSA
Jay DuplassUSA
Aaron KatzUSA
Ry Russo-YoungUSA
Frank V. RossUSA
Todd RohalUSA
Dave BoyleUSA
Sophia TakalUSA
Josephine DeckerUSA
Lena DunhamUSA
Ronald BronsteinUSA
Matthew PorterfieldUSA
Zach ClarkUSAHHannah FidellUSA
Onur TukelUSASee all 28 directors
Top films · 78 films
- Frances Ha 2012 · Noah Baumbach · IMDb 7.4
- Present Company 2008 · Frank V. Ross · IMDb 7.6
- Tiger Tail in Blue 2012 · Frank V. Ross · IMDb 7.3
- Quietly On By 2005 · Frank V. Ross · IMDb 7.3
- Prince of Broadway 2008 · Sean Baker · IMDb 7.2
- Hohokam 2007 · Frank V. Ross · IMDb 7.2
- Tangerine 2015 · Sean Baker · IMDb 7.1
- Take Out 2004 · Sean Baker · IMDb 7.1
- Starlet 2012 · Sean Baker · IMDb 7.0
- Audrey the Trainwreck 2010 · Frank V. Ross · IMDb 7.0
- Daddy Longlegs 2009 · Josh Safdie · IMDb 6.9
- Lenny Cooke 2013 · Josh Safdie · IMDb 6.9
- Martha Marcy May Marlene 2011 · Sean Durkin · IMDb 6.8
- Heaven Knows What 2014 · Josh Safdie · IMDb 6.8
- Mistress America 2015 · Noah Baumbach · IMDb 6.7
- Your Sister's Sister 2011 · Lynn Shelton · IMDb 6.7
- Mutual Appreciation 2005 · Andrew Bujalski · IMDb 6.7
- The Black Balloon (2012) 2012 · Josh Safdie · IMDb 6.7
- Medicine for Melancholy 2008 · Barry Jenkins · IMDb 6.6
- Man from Reno 2014 · Dave Boyle · IMDb 6.6
- The Color Wheel 2012 · Alex Ross Perry · IMDb 6.6
- The Puffy Chair 2006 · Jay Duplass · IMDb 6.5
- Jeff, Who Lives at Home 2012 · Jay Duplass · IMDb 6.4
- Laggies 2014 · Lynn Shelton · IMDb 6.4
- Funny Ha Ha 2003 · Andrew Bujalski · IMDb 6.4
- Mary Last Seen 2010 · Sean Durkin · IMDb 6.4
- While We're Young 2014 · Noah Baumbach · IMDb 6.3
- Cyrus 2010 · Jay Duplass · IMDb 6.3
- Listen Up Philip 2014 · Alex Ross Perry · IMDb 6.3
- Little Sister (2016) 2016 · Zach Clark · IMDb 6.3
- Quiet City 2007 · Aaron Katz · IMDb 6.3
- Applesauce 2015 · Onur Tukel · IMDb 6.3
- Frownland 2008 · Ronald Bronstein · IMDb 6.3
- We Go Way Back 2006 · Lynn Shelton · IMDb 6.3
- We're Going to the Zoo 2006 · Josh Safdie · IMDb 6.3
- Tiny Furniture 2010 · Lena Dunham · IMDb 6.2
- Queen of Earth 2015 · Alex Ross Perry · IMDb 6.2
- Computer Chess 2013 · Andrew Bujalski · IMDb 6.2
- Kate Plays Christine 2016 · Robert Greene · IMDb 6.2
- Drinking Buddies 2013 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 6.1
- Greenberg 2010 · Noah Baumbach · IMDb 6.1
- Cold Weather 2010 · Aaron Katz · IMDb 6.1
- The Pleasure of Being Robbed 2008 · Josh Safdie · IMDb 6.1
- Beeswax 2009 · Andrew Bujalski · IMDb 6.1
- Dance Party, USA 2006 · Aaron Katz · IMDb 6.1
- John's Gone 2010 · Josh Safdie · IMDb 6.1
- Humpday 2009 · Lynn Shelton · IMDb 6.0
- Baghead 2008 · Jay Duplass · IMDb 6.0
- Land Ho! 2014 · Aaron Katz · IMDb 6.0
- The Do-Deca-Pentathlon 2012 · Jay Duplass · IMDb 6.0
- Thou Wast Mild and Lovely 2014 · Josephine Decker · IMDb 6.0
- Bloomin Mud Shuffle 2015 · Frank V. Ross · IMDb 6.0
- Digging for Fire 2015 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 5.8
- Nights and Weekends 2008 · Greta Gerwig · IMDb 5.8
- Somebody Up There Likes Me (2012) 2013 · Bob Byington · IMDb 5.7
- White Reindeer 2013 · Zach Clark · IMDb 5.7
- I Used to Be Darker 2013 · Matthew Porterfield · IMDb 5.7
- Always Shine 2016 · Sophia Takal · IMDb 5.6
- Hannah Takes the Stairs 2007 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 5.6
- 7 Chinese Brothers 2015 · Bob Byington · IMDb 5.6
- RSO [Registered Sex Offender] 2008 · Bob Byington · IMDb 5.6
- 6 Years 2015 · Hannah Fidell · IMDb 5.5
- My Effortless Brilliance 2008 · Lynn Shelton · IMDb 5.5
- Results 2015 · Andrew Bujalski · IMDb 5.4
- Ping Pong Summer 2014 · Michael Tully · IMDb 5.4
- Summer of Blood 2014 · Onur Tukel · IMDb 5.4
- Happy Christmas 2014 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 5.3
- Nobody Walks 2012 · Ry Russo-Young · IMDb 5.3
- Touchy Feely 2013 · Lynn Shelton · IMDb 5.3
- Rubberneck 2013 · Alex Karpovsky · IMDb 5.3
- Butter on the Latch 2013 · Josephine Decker · IMDb 5.2
- Alexander the Last 2009 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 5.1
- A Teacher 2013 · Hannah Fidell · IMDb 4.8
- LOL 2006 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 4.7
- Art History 2011 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 4.7
- Autoerotic 2011 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 4.4
- 24 Exposures 2013 · Joe Swanberg · IMDb 4.2
- Nature Calls 2012 · Todd Rohal · IMDb 4.0