Wilson

Play trailer

2:13

Wilson

R

2017

1h 34m

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

47%

Tomatometer

131 Reviews

29%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Feeling lonely and isolated, Wilson (Woody Harrelson) tracks down Pippa (Laura Dern), the ex-wife who left him 17 years earlier. She tells the neurotic and middle-aged misanthrope that he is the father of a teenager named Claire (Isabella Amara). Shocked, excited and hopeful, Wilson embarks on a madcap quest to connect with the daughter he never knew he had.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Woody Harrelson delivers a solid performance as Wilson's titular grump, but the movie surrounding him can't quite manage to make the character's sour outlook consistently relatable.

Read Critics Reviews

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

06/11/2017

2/5

Despite the mordant humour and the full-throttle chaos of Harrelson's performance, we struggle to connect with any emotional truth here.

Go to Full Review

Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

06/09/2017

2/5

It struggles to fill the big screen, either emotionally or visually, and after a while Harrelson's say-it-as-it-is persona becomes irritating.

Go to Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

06/07/2017

3/5

Director Craig Johnson (who also dealt with middle aged angst in his previous film, The Skeleton Twins) has a nicely matter of fact way of showing Wilson's tribulations.

Go to Full Review

Lauren Bradshaw

Fangirl Freakout

11/05/2021

D+

Harrelson and Dern's performances inevitably outshine their source material, as the film's sloppy third act will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

08/17/2021

2/4

Harrelson, who over the last decade has built himself up into one of our best supporting players, is just fine as Wilson. There's no doubt the actor would have taken the character to greater extremes, but that's not what's asked of him.

Go to Full Review

Steven Prokopy

Third Coast Review

05/06/2020

Wilson has more than a handful of solid moments, but they are peppered between fairly stock observations about the way the world works, and how everybody tends to screw everybody else when given the chance.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

m1935 T

@ditzler62 Dec 25

Another absolute waste of time written and directed by master manipulators that mocks Christianity, white Americans, the nuclear family, and normality. fortunately it lost over $4 million, about four and a half times what it cost, so you reap what you sow.

See more

donnie m

@RT64375194 Dec 21

woody harrelson is sooooooooooooooooo overdramatic-every word-every movement and it grosses me out so much i can't watch the movie

See more

Keith B B

@Okbullard Dec 11

I've liked Woody Harrelson since he filled in for Coach in the amazing sitcom, Cheers. Wilson was so abrasive, conceited and rude. But half way through he did lighten up a bit. Laura Dern was sooo good in this one. Give it a look if there's nothing else on.

See more

Mikael H

@Mikael590 06/10/2025

The graphic novel could have translated into a very different film.

See more

Gareth v

@geewah 06/22/2023

Middle of the road movie. Maybe the character of Wilson works best in a graphic novel format.

See more

Dave C

@RT09838700 07/11/2021

It's OK. Elements work really well, and others don't

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Craig Johnson

Director

Woody Harrelson

Wilson

Laura Dern

Pippi

Judy Greer

Shelly

Margo Martindale

Alta

Cheryl Hines

Polly

All Nighter

14%

40%

All Nighter

Watchlist

TRAILER

for All Nighter

I Love You, Daddy

37%

55%

I Love You, Daddy

Watchlist

TRAILER

for I Love You, Daddy

Fifty Shades of Black

4%

19%

Fifty Shades of Black

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Fifty Shades of Black

Brother Nature

57%

28%

Brother Nature

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Brother Nature

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

65%

44%

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Power Rangers Splits Critics and Life Is Fine

Wilson: Trailer 1

2:13

Wilson: Red Band Trailer 1

2:25

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Feeling lonely and isolated, Wilson (Woody Harrelson) tracks down Pippa (Laura Dern), the ex-wife who left him 17 years earlier. She tells the neurotic and middle-aged misanthrope that he is the father of a teenager named Claire (Isabella Amara). Shocked, excited and hopeful, Wilson embarks on a madcap quest to connect with the daughter he never knew he had.

Director: Craig Johnson
Producer: Mary Jane Skalski, Jared Goldman
Screenwriter: Daniel Clowes
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Ad Hominem Enterprises
Rating: R (Some Sexuality|Language Throughout)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 24, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 20, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $653.0K
Runtime: 1h 34m