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Mystery drama

Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019): Cast, Ratings & Where to Watch

Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019) movie poster

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a 2019 mystery drama directed by Richard Linklater, starring Cate Blanchett as Bernadette, Emma Nelson and Kristen Wiig. It is partly based on Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple. It runs 1 hour 49 minutes and earned $11 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Actress) at the Golden Globes 2020. Stream it on Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video, or rent or buy it on Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home.

IMDb rating
6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes
50%
worldwide gross
$11M
award nomination
1
Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 49m (109 min)
Genres
Drama , Mystery , Comedy
Original language
English
Budget
$20M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Where'd You Go, Bernadette About?

The premise of Where'd You Go, Bernadette without spoilers, adapted from Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A once-brilliant architect, Bernadette Fox, has retreated from public life and struggles with her identity while raising her teenage daughter in Seattle. When she mysteriously disappears, her daughter sets out to uncover the reasons behind her mother's sudden departure, piecing together clues from Bernadette's past and eccentric relationships. This comedy-drama explores themes of creativity, motherhood, and the challenges of reinvention, ultimately revealing a woman's journey to reclaim her passion and find renewed purpose.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • singing in a car
  • reference to eddie vedder
  • based on epistolary novel
  • apostrophe in title
  • punctuation in title
  • disappearance
  • reference to pearl jam
  • heavy rain
  • mudslide
  • seattle washington
  • husband wife relationship
  • teenager
+38 more
  • flashback
  • ice
  • antarctica
  • kayak
  • overhead camera shot
  • voice over narration
  • narrated by character
  • mother daughter relationship
  • teenage girl
  • computer
  • father daughter relationship
  • reference to ernest shackleton
  • hand palm slap
  • woman with bangs
  • blackberry bush
  • business card
  • voice over text message
  • text message
  • cell phone
  • mirror
  • looking at oneself in a mirror
  • promise
  • spoken inner thoughts
  • panic attack
  • draw knife
  • cutting a carpet
  • staple gun
  • t shirt
  • neighbor
  • dog
  • dog barks
  • mother son relationship
  • teenage boy
  • mother picks up daughter from school
  • falling to the ground
  • foot injury
  • crying woman
  • ladder
Where to watch

Where to Watch Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Stream it on Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video, or rent or buy it from Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Cast & Characters

Cate Blanchett leads the cast as Bernadette, with Emma Nelson as Bee and Kristen Wiig as Audrey. Directed by Richard Linklater; 25 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Where'd You Go, Bernadette

· 21 more
Show all 25 cast members
Ratings

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Where'd You Go, Bernadette 50% on Rotten Tomatoes and 51 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10. Our Echo Score gives it 60/100, strongest in character & emotion (80) and weakest in story & flow (45).

60 /100

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Echo Score Breakdown

This film presents an uneven experience marked by a standout lead performance amid inconsistent pacing and tone. The narrative oscillates between engaging comedic moments and plodding sequences, with underdeveloped emotional stakes diminishing dramatic impact. Production elements range from occasionally unconvincing locales to modestly effective visual style, while the score and sound design remain serviceable. Character portrayals, especially by the lead, offer genuine warmth despite narrative shortcomings. Overall, the film registers as a mixed effort that benefits from strong performances but struggles with structural coherence.

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

  • Art & Craft 60

    In terms of craft and cinematography, the film demonstrates moments of visual flair countered by uneven production design. The direction occasionally yields compelling sequences but falters in establishing a consistent tone or convincing setting. Editing rhythm varies between sharp comedic beats and plodding stretches. Overall, the art and craft display glimpses of skill but lack cohesion across the runtime.

  • Character & Emotion 80

    In terms of character and emotion, performances anchor the film with nuanced portrayals, especially from the lead actor. Supporting roles convey genuine warmth, and on-screen relationships often resonate with authenticity. Some characters lack depth, however, and emotional stakes feel underdeveloped in key moments. Overall, the character work offers strong acting and chemistry that partially compensate for uneven writing.

  • Story & Flow 45

    In terms of story and flow, the narrative alternates between engaging comedic vignettes and sluggish sequences that impede momentum. Plot coherence suffers from underwritten stakes and contrived developments, while pacing often stalls in the absence of meaningful conflict. Although occasional inventive ideas arise, they do not fully mitigate the film’s structural weaknesses. Overall, the story delivers intermittent charm but remains hampered by inconsistent execution.

  • Sensory Experience 50

    In terms of sensory experience, the film’s soundtrack and sound design remain serviceable but seldom elevate the narrative. Visual style fluctuates between aesthetically pleasing moments and unconvincing green-screen sequences. Color palettes and framing occasionally support the director’s lighthearted tone, yet cohesion across scenes is lacking. Overall, the sensory elements function at a basic level without leaving a lasting impression.

  • Rewatch Factor 65

    In terms of rewatch factor, the film’s strong central performance and occasional comedic highlights may reward repeat viewings. The humanistic themes and moments of warmth can hold appeal over time, though underdeveloped emotional arcs and uneven pacing limit enduring engagement. While certain set-pieces invite revisiting, structural inconsistencies detract from overall replay value. Overall, the film offers modest rewatch potential driven by character work but constrained by narrative flaws.

Plot

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Plot Summary

What happens in Where'd You Go, Bernadette from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The story begins with Bernadette Fox navigating her canoe through the icy expanse of Antarctica, while her daughter Bee reflects on the ways life is perceived by different individuals and how her father, Elgin, has overlooked his wife’s struggles with her own contentment. Bernadette is a devoted stay-at-home mom living with her husband, a successful Microsoft developer. Elgin has created an innovative gadget called Samantha 2, designed for thought-controlled messaging. Despite their seemingly perfect family life, Bernadette feels alienated, particularly from Audrey, a neighbor played by Kristen Wiig, with whom she has a strained relationship.

Full summary

The whole story of Where'd You Go, Bernadette, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Box Office & Budget

Where'd You Go, Bernadette grossed $11 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, 55% of what it cost. $9.2 million came from the US and Canada and $1.8 million (17%) from the rest of the world.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$11M

55% of its budget back

US & Canada
$9.2M
International
$1.8M
Budget
$20M
US & Canada 83% Rest of the world 17%
Awards

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Awards & Nominations

Where'd You Go, Bernadette earned 1 award nomination, including Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Actress) at the Golden Globes 2020.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Trailers & Videos

6 videos: 2 trailers and 4 featurettes.

All 6 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Official Trailer 2
  • Featurette WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE | A Look At Bernadette
  • Featurette WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE | Pink Penguin Cocktail Recipe
  • Featurette WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE | Kristen Wiig is Audrey
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

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 motivates Bee to gift Bernadette tickets to Antarctica?

Cars

Cars in Where'd You Go, Bernadette

10 cars on screen, including the 1986 Jaguar Vanden Plas Series III and the 2008 Ford E-450.

All 10 cars
  • 1986 Jaguar Vanden Plas Series III in Where'd You Go, Bernadette 1986 Jaguar Vanden Plas Series III Important role
  • 2008 Ford E-450 in Where'd You Go, Bernadette 2008 Ford E-450 Minor role
  • 2017 Acura MDX in Where'd You Go, Bernadette 2017 Acura MDX Background role
  • 2011 BMW 535i F10 in Where'd You Go, Bernadette 2011 BMW 535i F10 Background role
Details

Where'd You Go, Bernadette Also Known As

37 alternative titles, including “Hvor blev du af” and “Bernadette?”.

Also known as
  • Hvor blev du af
  • Bernadette?
  • バーナデットママは行方不明
  • 어디갔어
  • 버나뎃
  • Къде си
  • Бернадет?
  • Cadê Você
  • Bernadette a disparu
  • Куда ты пропала
  • Бернадетт?
  • 伯纳黛特你去了哪
+25 more
  • Де ти поділась
  • Var blev du av Bernadette
  • Που Χάθηκες
  • Μπερναντέτ
  • Gdzie jesteś
  • Куда си отишла
  • Бернадет
  • 走佬阿媽
  • Che fine ha fatto Bernadette?
  • ¿Dónde estás
  • 囧媽的極地任務
  • Onde Estás
  • Kde se touláš
  • Bernadetto
  • Dónde estás
  • איפה את
  • ברנדט
  • Hová tűntél
  • Missä olet
  • Kur palikusi Bernadeta?
  • Kur tu pradingai
  • Bernadeta?
  • バーナデット ママは行方不明
  • On ets
  • Kuhu sa küll kadusid

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FAQ

Where'd You Go, Bernadette FAQ: Where to Watch & Cast

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and the book behind it of Where'd You Go, Bernadette, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette runs 1 hour 49 minutes (109 minutes).

When was Where'd You Go, Bernadette released?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette was released on August 16, 2019.

Who directed Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette was directed by Richard Linklater.

More films by Richard Linklater

Who is in the cast of Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette stars Cate Blanchett as Bernadette, Emma Nelson as Bee and Kristen Wiig as Audrey, among 25 credited actors.

Where can I watch Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

In the US, Where'd You Go, Bernadette is streaming on Amazon MX Player, Amazon Prime Video and Fawesome and available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home and Google Play Movies (availability from JustWatch).

How much did Where'd You Go, Bernadette make at the box office?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette grossed $11 million worldwide ($9.2 million domestic, $1.8 million international) on a budget of $20 million.

How is Where'd You Go, Bernadette rated?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette has 6.5/10 on IMDb, 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, 51 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.

Is Where'd You Go, Bernadette based on a book?

Yes. Where'd You Go, Bernadette is partly adapted from Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.

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