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Action drama

The Kitchen (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending

The Kitchen (2019) movie poster

The Kitchen is a 2019 action drama directed by Andrea Berloff, starring Melissa McCarthy as Kathy Brennan, Brian d'Arcy James and Tiffany Haddish. It runs 1 hour 42 minutes and earned $16 million worldwide on a $38 million budget. Critics gave it 35 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.6/10.

IMDb rating
5.6/10
worldwide gross
$16M
Echo Score
35
Metascore
35
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The Kitchen (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 42m (102 min)
Director
Andrea Berloff
Genres
Action , Drama , Comedy , Crime
Budget
$38M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Kitchen About?

The premise of The Kitchen without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.

When a woman discovers a hidden fortune in a kitchen, her actions trigger a dangerous series of events. This high-stakes thriller explores themes of loyalty, trust, and morality as lives are put in jeopardy and the consequences of greed unfold. The situation escalates quickly, testing the limits of those involved and forcing them to confront difficult choices.

The Kitchen Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • shot to death
  • girl gang
  • based on graphic novel
  • armed robbery
  • punching a federal agent
  • year 1978
  • courtroom
  • jail visit
  • disposing of a dead body
  • pushed down the stairs
  • domestic abuse
  • wife kills husband
+38 more
  • hell's kitchen manhattan new york city
  • female gangster
  • protection
  • abusive husband
  • power
  • mafia boss
  • brooklyn new york city
  • organized crime
  • irish mob
  • double cross
  • home invasion
  • paranoia
  • delicatessen
  • wife beater
  • interracial marriage
  • van
  • extramarital affair
  • attempted rape
  • henchman
  • f rated
  • vertigo comics
  • dc comics
  • reference to schlitz beer
  • miller high life beer
  • female empowerment
  • hell's kitchen
  • woman with a gun
  • automatic handgun
  • gun
  • shooting
  • handgun
  • knee high boots
  • sex scene
  • extortion
  • jeweler
  • payphone
  • shot in the head
  • funeral
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Cast & crew

The Kitchen Cast & Characters

Melissa McCarthy leads the cast as Kathy Brennan, with Brian d'Arcy James as Jimmy Brennan and Tiffany Haddish as Ruby O'Carroll. Directed by Andrea Berloff; 15 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Kitchen

· 11 more
Ratings

The Kitchen Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Kitchen 35 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.6/10. Our Echo Score gives it 35/100, strongest in art & craft (55) and weakest in rewatch factor (20).

35 /100

The Kitchen Echo Score Breakdown

Overall, The Kitchen delivers a visually distinctive but narratively uneven experience that fails to cohere around its core premise of women stepping into the mob world. The film’s pacing is choppy, and character arcs feel underdeveloped despite moments of engaging stylization. While the period detail and occasional performance give it fleeting energy, tonal shifts and predictable plotting limit its lasting appeal. The net effect is a lukewarm drama unable to fully engage.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 55

    In terms of art and craft, The Kitchen presents a striking period aesthetic marred by uneven execution. The production design and costuming effectively evoke 1970s Hell’s Kitchen, and some dynamic shot compositions offer visual interest. However, abrupt editing choices and inconsistent stylization create a sense of disjunction. As a result, the film’s craftsmanship is engaging at times but ultimately unsettled.

  • Character & Emotion 30

    When it comes to character and emotion, the film struggles to deliver fully realized protagonists. The three leads offer occasional compelling moments, and supporting roles add depth in brief scenes. Yet the central trio often feels underwritten, and emotional transitions occur too rapidly to resonate. The net result is a cast that oscillates between promise and shallowness.

  • Story & Flow 25

    In terms of story and flow, The Kitchen suffers from erratic pacing and a predictable narrative trajectory. The premise of wives taking over the mob offers potential for tension, but plot developments feel rushed and at times lack substance. Repeated reliance on familiar tropes undermines engagement. Ultimately, the storytelling creates a sense of staleness rather than suspense.

  • Sensory Experience 45

    From a sensory standpoint, the film’s period soundtrack and gritty visual palette occasionally enhance atmosphere. Selections from soul and rock tracks establish a vintage mood, and some scenes employ shadowy lighting to evoke tension. However, the musical choices sometimes feel forced, and sound design inconsistently supports dramatic beats. Overall, the sensory elements contribute style but lack cohesion.

  • Rewatch Factor 20

    Regarding rewatch factor, The Kitchen offers limited incentive for repeat viewings. While the film’s aesthetic moments and occasional performance beats may register upon first exposure, the narrative’s predictability and tonal unevenness reduce its lasting appeal. With few layers of depth or surprising developments to uncover, it is unlikely to reward subsequent viewings.

Plot

The Kitchen Plot Summary & Ending Explained

What happens in The Kitchen from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In the gritty landscape of Hell’s Kitchen in 1978, three middle-aged women find themselves intertwined with the Irish mafia through their marriages. Kathy Brennan, portrayed by Melissa McCarthy, shares her life with her kind-hearted yet hesitant husband Jimmy (Brian d’Arcy James), and together they are raising a son and a daughter. Meanwhile, Ruby O’Carroll, played by Tiffany Haddish, is wed to Kevin (James Badge Dale), the son of Helen O’Carroll (Margo Martindale), who is also set to inherit the family’s criminal enterprise. The timid Claire Walsh, depicted by Elisabeth Moss, is suffering under the abusive grip of her husband Rob (Jeremy Bobb).

Full summary

The whole story of The Kitchen, scene by scene, with the ending explained

Read the full summary
Box office

The Kitchen Box Office & Budget

The Kitchen grossed $16 million worldwide on a $38 million budget, 42% of what it cost. $12.2 million came from the US and Canada and $3.8 million (24%) from the rest of the world.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$16M

42% of its budget back

US & Canada
$12.2M
International
$3.8M
Budget
$38M
US & Canada 76% Rest of the world 24%
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Kitchen?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What year does 'The Kitchen' take place?

Cars

Cars in The Kitchen

42 cars on screen, including the 1971 Chevrolet Nova and the 1970 Ford Econoline.

All 42 cars
  • 1971 Chevrolet Nova in The Kitchen 1971 Chevrolet Nova Important role
  • 1970 Ford Econoline in The Kitchen 1970 Ford Econoline Important role
  • 1980 Plymouth Volaré in The Kitchen 1980 Plymouth Volaré Important role
  • 1977 Cadillac Sedan DeVille in The Kitchen 1977 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Minor role
Details

The Kitchen Also Known As

31 alternative titles, including “Кухня” and “Las reinas del crimen”.

Also known as
  • Кухня
  • Las reinas del crimen
  • Le regine del crimine
  • ザ・キッチン:2019
  • 地獄廚房
  • 地狱厨房
  • Les Baronnes
  • Кралици на престъпността
  • Адская кухня
  • Королеви криміналу
  • Χελς Κίτσεν: Οι Βασίλισσες του Εγκλήματος
  • Rainhas do Crime
+19 more
  • Królowe zbrodni
  • Краљице злочина
  • Pekelná kuchyně
  • La cocina del infierno
  • A bűn királynői
  • 더 키친
  • Kráľovné zločinu
  • The Kitchen - Queens of Crime
  • קיטצ'ן
  • Suç Kraliçeleri
  • Virtuve
  • เดอะ คิทเช่น อาชญากรตัวแม่
  • Les Reines de Hell's Kitchen
  • Bucătăria iadului
  • ザ・キッチン
  • Pragaro virtuvės karalienės
  • Nhà Bếp
  • The Kitchen: Queens of Crime
  • द किचन

Seen The Kitchen?

FAQ

The Kitchen FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Kitchen, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Kitchen?

The Kitchen runs 1 hour 42 minutes (102 minutes).

When was The Kitchen released?

The Kitchen was released on August 9, 2019.

Who directed The Kitchen?

The Kitchen was directed by Andrea Berloff.

Who is in the cast of The Kitchen?

The Kitchen stars Melissa McCarthy as Kathy Brennan, Brian d'Arcy James as Jimmy Brennan and Tiffany Haddish as Ruby O'Carroll, among 15 credited actors.

How much did The Kitchen make at the box office?

The Kitchen grossed $16 million worldwide ($12.2 million domestic, $3.8 million international) on a budget of $38 million.

How is The Kitchen rated?

The Kitchen has 5.6/10 on IMDb, 35 on Metacritic, 62% on TMDB and 2.5/5 on Letterboxd.

Does The Kitchen have a post-credit scene?

No. The Kitchen has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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