JustWatch
X
A Little Prayer

Summary Bill (David Strathairn), a Vietnam veteran who has lived in suburban Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for decades with his wife, Venida (Celia Weston), confronts the limits of patriarchal power while parenting his adult children, both of whom are experiencing personal difficulties. Their son David (Will Pullen), is a PTSD-stricken veteran ...

Directed By: Angus MacLachlan

Written By: Angus MacLachlan

A Little Prayer

Metascore Universal Acclaim Based on 16 Critic Reviews
must-see
86
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 14 User Ratings
7.1
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth

Summary Bill (David Strathairn), a Vietnam veteran who has lived in suburban Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for decades with his wife, Venida (Celia Weston), confronts the limits of patriarchal power while parenting his adult children, both of whom are experiencing personal difficulties. Their son David (Will Pullen), is a PTSD-stricken veteran ...

Directed By: Angus MacLachlan

Written By: Angus MacLachlan

Where to Watch

Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth

Top Cast

View All
View All Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 16 Critic Reviews
86
100% Positive
16 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 16 Critic Reviews
86
100% Positive
16 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Aug 28, 2025
100
All of “A Little Prayer” is alive in its modest way to the beauty and the disappointment of human existence. MacLachlan has given us Ozu in the heartland, and I can think of no greater praise than that.
By Ty Burr FULL REVIEW
Jan 28, 2023
91
This little miracle of a film features a strong ensemble cast, mordant Southern humor, and sharp insights into the perils and comforts of loving with your whole heart
By Marya E. Gates FULL REVIEW
Aug 22, 2025
90
A Little Prayer is spare yet brisk, and it unfolds with a graceful, almost musical sense of modulation: Camp and Weston, both veterans of MacLachlan’s work, strike bracing high notes of acerbic wit, which Strathairn and Levy answer with an understated bass line of emotion.
By Justin Chang FULL REVIEW
Dec 2, 2025
80
Dispenses with all the flourishes and focuses purely on the story and the characters, the gentle humor and the heartrending moments. It all leads up to a wonderful final scene, a knockout punch that cements MacLachlan as one of cinema’s indie greats.
By Alex Saveliev FULL REVIEW
Jan 28, 2023
80
MacLachlan’s writing style is at once honest and slightly elevated, the kind we’re used to hearing onstage, where the structure of the entire script matters, and subtext is every bit as important as what’s spoken.
By Peter Debruge FULL REVIEW
Aug 29, 2025
70
This is a filmmaker able to wrest real feeling from his actors, and from his audience.
By Natalia Winkelman FULL REVIEW
Aug 24, 2025
63
The film patiently illustrates how places imprint themselves upon us and guide our actions.
By Marshall Shaffer FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 14 User Ratings
7.1
71% Positive
10 Ratings
7% Mixed
1 Rating
21% Negative
3 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 14 User Ratings
7.1
71% Positive
10 Ratings
7% Mixed
1 Rating
21% Negative
3 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Aug 31, 2025
9
davidlovesfilm
"A Little Prayer" is spare yet brisk, and it unfolds with a graceful, almost musical sense of modulation: Camp and Weston, both veterans of MacLachlan’s work, strike bracing high notes of acerbic wit, which Strathairn and Levy answer with an understated bass line of emotion.
Report

Details

 View All
Production Company
  • Gladness Partners
  • Remain Calm Pictures
Release Date Aug 29, 2025
Duration 1 h 31 m
Rating R
Genres
Website https://www.musicboxfilms.com/film/a-little-prayer/
View All Details

Awards

Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 2 Nominations
RiverRun International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination

Related Movies

Dekalog (1988)

100
Universal Acclaim

Boyhood

100
Universal Acclaim

Casablanca

100
Universal Acclaim

Three Colors: Red

100
Universal Acclaim

Rear Window

100
Universal Acclaim

Citizen Kane

100
Universal Acclaim

The Godfather

100
Universal Acclaim

The Leopard (re-release)

100
Universal Acclaim

Lawrence of Arabia (re-release)

100
Universal Acclaim

Tokyo Story

100
Universal Acclaim

The Conformist

100
Universal Acclaim

Notorious

100
Universal Acclaim

Fanny and Alexander (re-release)

100
Universal Acclaim

Touch of Evil

99
Universal Acclaim

Army of Shadows

99
Universal Acclaim

City Lights

99
Universal Acclaim

Moonlight

99
Universal Acclaim

Intolerance

99
Universal Acclaim

The Rules of the Game

99
Universal Acclaim

Seven Samurai

98
Universal Acclaim

The Wild Bunch

98
Universal Acclaim

Au hasard Balthazar

98
Universal Acclaim

Related News

December 2025 Movie Preview

December 2025 Movie Preview

Keith Kimbell

Our editors select the most noteworthy films debuting in December, including a newly expanded cut of Kill Bill and Avatar: Fire and Ash.

  • movie
2025-26 Movie Release Calendar

2025-26 Movie Release Calendar

Jason Dietz

Find a schedule of release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2026 and beyond, updated daily.

  • movie
DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

Jason Dietz

Find a list of new movie and TV releases on DVD and Blu-ray (updated weekly) as well as a calendar of upcoming releases on home video.

  • movie
Every Noah Baumbach Movie, Ranked

Every Noah Baumbach Movie, Ranked

Nick Hyman

We use Metascores to rank every film directed by Noah Baumbach, including his latest release, Jay Kelly.

  • movie
Every Guillermo Del Toro Movie, Ranked

Every Guillermo Del Toro Movie, Ranked

Liam Mathews

We rank every movie directed by Guillermo Del Toro—including his new take on Frankenstein—from worst to best by Metascore.

  • movie
Related Content: ijumpman | fishie fishie | lucha libre aaa heroes del ring | disgaea 4 a promise unforgotten medic | disgaea 4 a promise unforgotten pirohiko ichimonji | four in a row 2010 | zombie square | super sniper hd | the will of dr frankenstein | chuck e cheeseand39s party games alley roller