Max Simkin, a shoemaker in a small New York shop, lives a solitary life until he discovers an old family heirloom. The magical tool allows him to literally walk in his customers' shoes, experiencing their lives and understanding their problems. Through these experiences, Max begins to confront his own issues and discovers the power of human connection, finding meaning and purpose beyond his quiet existence.
Does The Cobbler have end credit scenes?
No!
The Cobbler does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.
Explore the complete cast of The Cobbler, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.
No actors found
Discover where to watch The Cobbler online, including streaming platforms, rental options, and official sources. Compare reviews, ratings, and in-depth movie information across sites like Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, TMDb or JustWatch.
See how The Cobbler is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The Cobbler stands among top-rated movies in its genre.
23
Metascore
5.1
User Score
10%
TOMATOMETER
36%
User Score
5.8 /10
IMDb Rating
59
%
User Score
2.4
From 28 fan ratings
3.90/5
From 31 fan ratings
Challenge your knowledge of The Cobbler with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.
In which year does the movie 'The Cobbler' open?
Read the complete plot summary of The Cobbler, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.
The film begins in the bustling Lower East Side of New York City in 1903, where a group of Hasidic Jewish men gather in a cobbler’s shop, seeking a solution to a troubling situation. They have been tormented by a crook named Gergerman, who has been driving them out of business and harassing their families. They decide to hand over a pair of Gergerman’s shoes to the cobbler, Pinchas Simkin, portrayed by Donnie Keshawarz. In the quiet confines of his shop, Pinchas retreats to the basement, where he utilizes a unique stitching machine to work on the troublesome shoes. His young son, Herschel, played by Ethan Khusidman, enters the scene, prompting Pinchas to share the significance of the machine with him, underscoring its importance to their family’s legacy.
Fast forward to the present day, Max Simkin, played by Adam Sandler, runs the very same cobbler shop. He shares his workspace with a neighbor, Jimmy, portrayed by Steve Buscemi, who operates the adjoining barber shop. The narrative takes a turn when a young woman named Carmen Herrera, played by Melonie Diaz, approaches Max to discuss community efforts against large-scale developers threatening to demolish parts of their cherished neighborhood. However, Max remains apathetic towards the fate of his shop and the community around him.
Living with his ailing mother, Sarah, played by Lynn Cohen, Max harbors a longing to see his father one last time. The stakes rise when a local thug, Leon Ludlow, portrayed by Method Man, enters the shop, seeking a sole replacement for his shoes. When Max’s current stitching machine malfunctions, he resorts to using the ancient machine of his ancestors. Fascinated, he checks Ludlow’s shoe size, discovering they share the same size 10 1/2. This unexpected twist leads to a transformative moment where Max tries on the shoes, triggering a magical metamorphosis that allows him to literally embody Ludlow.
Max embarks on a series of adventures, experimenting with his newfound ability to occupy different identities through their shoes. He immerses himself in various personas, like temporarily becoming a Chinese man in Chinatown to savor a day of freedom. His escapades continue as he dons the shoes of a British man named Emiliano, played by Dan Stevens, after his girlfriend Taryn, portrayed by Kim Cloutier, brings them into the shop. The thrill escalates when a stunning woman notices Max while he’s in Emiliano’s guise, leading to an intimate moment that he hesitates to pursue for fear of losing his disguise.
Max’s desire to connect with his mother leads him to wear his father’s old shoes belonging to Abraham, portrayed by Dustin Hoffman. During a heartfelt dinner, he embodies his father, allowing Sarah to experience a cherished evening once again. Sadly, the warmth of this reunion is abruptly overshadowed when Max discovers that Sarah has passed away, plunging him into mourning with his family as they engage in the week-long ritual of Shiva.
The tension escalates as Ludlow soon demands the return of his shoes, threatening Max’s life. As fate would have it, Max musters the courage to infiltrate Ludlow’s world, donning Ludlow’s shoes as he gets embroiled in more perilous situations, including a confrontation with Ludlow’s girlfriend, Macy, portrayed by Dascha Polanco, who reveals herself to be a victim of abuse. The stakes rise even higher when he inadvertently stumbles upon a cache of weapons hidden in Ludlow’s belongings during a fateful confrontation.
Max’s plot thickens as he garners the trust of other thugs who mistake him for Ludlow, putting Max in a position to assert his newfound power. He soon faces the grim reality of his actions during a climactic event where he must confront Ludlow in a final confrontation, leading to a life-altering climax where Max’s choices challenge him to confront his true self amidst chaos.
In a surprising twist, following a near-fatal incident, Max awakens in Jimmy’s barber shop, only to uncover that Jimmy harbors his own secret identity as Abraham, Max’s long-lost father. The heartfelt reunion is filled with mixed emotions as they embrace, complicating their past while revealing a treasure trove of family history. Max is then invited to explore the heritage of their lineage in the basement, where he is introduced to a vast collection of shoes. They share a poignant limo ride through the city, with Abraham recounting the captivating tale behind their family’s magical stitching machine, setting the stage for a journey of discovery, acceptance, and the inexorable ties of family.
Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from The Cobbler. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.
Explore all cars featured in The Cobbler, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.
Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.
Browse a curated list of movies similar in genre, tone, characters, or story structure. Discover new titles like the one you're watching, perfect for fans of related plots, vibes, or cinematic styles.
What's After the Movie?
Not sure whether to stay after the credits? Find out!
Explore Our Movie Platform
New Movie Releases (2025)
Famous Movie Actors
Top Film Production Studios
Movie Plot Summaries & Endings
Major Movie Awards & Winners
Best Concert Films & Music Documentaries
© 2025 What's After the Movie. All rights reserved.