The Cove
2009 · Movie · PG-13 · 92 min · ★ 8.0 · 90% critics
The Cove follows an elite team of filmmakers and free divers on a covert mission to enter a hidden cove in Japan and uncover a dark secret. Their investigation reveals startling truths connected to the dolphin trade, including the people and politics that help keep it going.
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Watch free on Kanopy, Hoopla, The Roku Channel +4 more — also streaming on Fandor, Philo and Docurama.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2009
- Release date
- 2009-07-31
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 90/100
- TMDB rating
- 8.0/10 (679 votes)
About
You’ll likely like The Cove if you want a suspenseful, issue-driven documentary that aims to expose wrongdoing and spark outrage; Not for you if you’re squeamish, dislike graphic animal cruelty, or prefer balanced viewpoints over advocacy like Racing Extinction or Blackfish.
Pros: tense undercover investigation; shocking real-world evidence; passionate conservation focus | Cons: very graphic subject matter; emotionally draining tone; divisive one-sided perspective
Themes
- dying and death
- japan
- suffering
- ocean
- dolphin
- nationalism
- massacre
- whaling
- animal killing
- expose
- fishing boat
- activist
- +3 more
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Documentary Feature Film · 2010
- Sundance Audience Award: U.S. Documentary · 2009
- Genesis Award
Cast & crew
Hayden Panettiere
as Self
- JC
Joe Chisholm
as Self
- MC
Mandy-Rae Cruikshank
as Self
- CH
Charles Hambleton
as Self
- SH
Simon Hutchins
as Self
- KK
Kirk Krack
as Self
Isabel Lucas
as Self
Richard O'Barry
as Self
- RP
Roger Payne
as Self
- JP
John Potter
as Self
Directed by Louie Psihoyos