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Directing · Writing · age 61

Sam Mendes

Best rated: American Beauty (8.3)

Films
10
Avg rating
7.41
Peak run
1999’09
Oscar wins
1 of 2
CompareBacon number
Every film, by IMDb rating

The career

Sam Mendes, directing career by IMDb rating5-film averagePeak eraLongest 7+ run
Peak 1999 to 2009, 7.4467820002005201020152020American Beauty 8.3Empire of Light 6.7Career avg 7.41

Dot size shows IMDb votes. Films with fewer than 1,000 votes sit on the baseline.

Sam Mendes's career barcodecoolhot
199910 films2022
Current formLast 5: 7.30 vs career 7.41 (−0.11)
  1. LAway We Go2009 · 7.0−0.4
  2. WSkyfall2012 · 7.8+0.4
  3. LSpectre2015 · 6.8−0.6
  4. W19172019 · 8.2+0.8
  5. LEmpire of Light2022 · 6.7−0.7
As a director, films with 1,000+ votes

Sam by the numbers

Average
7.41
9 rated films
Vote weighted
7.45
bigger films count more
Median
7.3
half are better
Consistency
±0.59
rating spread
Career
24y
1999 to 2022
Total votes
4.22M
across every film
Best
8.3
American Beauty
Worst
6.7
Empire of Light
Newest first

Filmography

Directing filmography
2022Empire of Light posterEmpire of Light6.727,742
2019The Lehman Trilogy·485
20191917 poster19178.2788K
2015Spectre posterSpectre6.8503K
2012Skyfall posterSkyfall7.8782K
2009Away We Go posterAway We Go7.056,863
2008Revolutionary Road posterRevolutionary Road7.3239K
2005Jarhead posterJarhead7.0228K
2002Road to Perdition posterRoad to Perdition7.6303K
1999American Beauty posterAmerican Beauty8.31.29M
Better together?

Sam Mendes's regulars

The number on the right is the lift: their average together minus the average of their two careers.

Takes

On Sam Mendes

12 nominations, 8 wins

Awards record

  • Best Picture · Academy Awards 2026
    Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Gonda, Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes, Producers
    Nominated
  • Best Picture · Academy Awards 2020
    Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren and Callum McDougall, Producers
    Nominated
  • Best Director · Academy Awards 2020
    Sam Mendes
    Nominated
  • Best Original Screenplay · Academy Awards 2020
    Written by Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
    Nominated
  • Best Director · Golden Globe Awards 2020
    Sam Mendes
    Won
  • Best Director · Critics Choice Awards 2020
    Sam Mendes
    Won
  • Outstanding Directing, Feature Film · Directors Guild Awards 2020
    Sam Mendes
    Won
  • Best Director · BAFTA Film Awards 2020
    Sam Mendes
    Won
  • Best Director · Academy Awards 2000
    Sam Mendes
    Won
  • Best Director · Golden Globe Awards 2000
    Sam Mendes
    Won
  • Best Director · Critics Choice Awards 2000
    Sam Mendes
    Won
  • Outstanding Directing, Feature Film · Directors Guild Awards 2000
    Sam Mendes
    Won

Information courtesy of IMDb (https://www.imdb.com). Used with permission. Ratings and votes as of the latest nightly refresh.

Sam Mendes career stats | Cinemuse