The Fabelmans (2022)
Capture every moment.
Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 11 November 2022 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Director | Steven Spielberg |
| Starring | Michelle Williams, Paul Dano and Seth Rogen |
| Runtime | 151 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes 92% · Metacritic 85/100 · TMDB users 7.5/10 |
| Budget | $40 million |
Where to watch The Fabelmans
The Fabelmans is streaming on Peacock ($16.99 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Peacock is $16.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 2 November 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent The Fabelmans on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Fabelmans in 14 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Austria | Joyn free |
| Denmark | Viaplay 159 kr DKK |
| Estonia | Max |
| Finland | Viaplay €13.99 |
| Germany | Joyn free |
| India | SonyLIV ₹299 |
| Italy | Prime Video €4.99, Skygo, Now TV, Max €11.99 |
| Japan | Prime Video ¥600 JPY, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Latvia | Max |
| Lithuania | Max |
| Norway | Viaplay 169 kr NOK |
| South Korea | Netflix ₩13500, Watcha, Tving ₩10900 |
| Sweden | Viaplay 169 kr SEK |
| Türkiye | Max |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
The Fabelmans runs 151 minutes, a duration that leaves no room for padding. It captures the specific texture of a childhood where the magic of cinema collides with the mundane reality of a family in decline. Spielberg directs with the confidence of a man who knows exactly how a lens can lie and how it can tell the truth. The film treats memory not as a static archive, but as a living thing that shifts shape every time you look at it. It is a portrait of a boy learning that the camera is a liar that tells the truth.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes logged a 92% approval rating from 398 reviews by June 2023. Metacritic assigned an 85 out of 100 based on 65 critics by October 2025, signaling universal acclaim. Steve Pond of TheWrap called it one of Spielberg's most original and satisfying films in years. Ross Bonaime of Collider noted that Spielberg finally shows us who he is, the good and the bad. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian offered a counterpoint, arguing the film feels slightly too stage-managed, missing some gristle in the darkest moments.
What came next for the cast
Paul Dano had just survived two heavy dramas before Fabelmans. Seth Rogen, meanwhile, was finally moving past the teen comedy era. Gabriel LaBelle arrived with a single alien slasher credit. The credits list these shifts as sequence, not causation. That distinction matters. The timeline simply records what appeared next on each resume.
Where it left its mark
Denis Villeneuve called it a miracle, the best film ever made about cinema’s power. He saw pure artistic generosity in the work. Other directors, from Guillermo del Toro to S. S. Rajamouli, agreed. Judd Apatow felt personally seen, noting how a disintegrating marriage forces a young man to develop his creative muscles. That realization of parental imperfection struck a nerve. Arnaud Desplechin even cited it as a direct influence on his later docufiction drama. Collider ranked it the top drama of the 2020s. They saw Spielberg desperately piecing together a broken family. It is a rare case where the self-awareness does not spoil the magic.
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Sources
- The Fabelmans on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q107710009 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Fabelmans” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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