# The Shape of Water (2017) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/the-shape-of-water-2017/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 81% |
| Editorial Rating | 92/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 72% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 87/100 |
| Letterboxd | 3.6/5 |
| IMDb | 7.3/10 |
| Director | Guillermo del Toro |
| Genres | Drama, Fantasy, Romance |
| Runtime | 123 min |
| Festival premiere | Venice 2017 |

## Quick answer

The Shape of Water (2017) earns a 81% Celluloid Score — Recommended. The Shape of Water — Venice 2017 selection. A landmark festival winner on Celluloid. Critics and audiences diverge (92% critic vs 72% audience). Metascore 87/100. Directed by Guillermo del Toro.

## Celluloid verdict

The Shape of Water — Venice 2017 selection. A landmark festival winner on Celluloid.

## Synopsis

An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.

## Cast

Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Doug Jones, David Hewlett, Nick Searcy, Stewart Arnott, Nigel Bennett

## Accolades

Premiered at Venice 2017.

## Where to watch

Global: HBO Max, Cinemax
the United States: HBO Max, Cinemax
the United Kingdom: Disney+
Indonesia: Disney+
Turkey: Disney+
South Korea: Disney+
Japan: Disney+
Malaysia: Disney+
Thailand: Disney+

## Common questions

**Is The Shape of Water worth watching?**
The Shape of Water holds a 81% Celluloid Score. The Shape of Water — Venice 2017 selection. A landmark festival winner on Celluloid.

**What is The Shape of Water about?**
An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.

**Who directed The Shape of Water?**
The Shape of Water (2017) was directed by Guillermo del Toro.

**What is the Celluloid Score of The Shape of Water?**
81% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (92/100), Metascore (87/100), Letterboxd (3.6/5), and IMDb (7.3/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**Where can I watch The Shape of Water?**
The Shape of Water is streaming on HBO Max, Cinemax; on HBO Max, Cinemax in the United States; on Disney+ in the United Kingdom; on Disney+ in Indonesia; on Disney+ in Turkey; on Disney+ in South Korea; on Disney+ in Japan; on Disney+ in Malaysia; on Disney+ in Thailand. Availability varies by region.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/the-shape-of-water-2017.md