Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- broad
- irreverent
- chaotic
- family movie night
- 1990s comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a crude, unsophisticated family comedy whose use of racist stereotypes undermined its occasional comic moments.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Professor Krippendorf invents the Shelmikedmu tribe and stages footage of his children to conceal the failure of his expedition.
Krippendorf makes Shelly, Mickey, and Edmund perform as the supposed tribe for his lecture and research claims.
The fictional New Guinea tribe and its staged customs draw critical attention for demeaning racist stereotypes.
The staged tribal films function as the proof Krippendorf needs to sustain his professional lie.
Films like Krippendorf's Tribe, and why
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
family-centered deception, broad comic tone, and an eccentric academic premise
Mrs. Doubtfire
1990s family comedy built around adult irresponsibility, elaborate lies, and children pulled into a farce
The Gods Must Be Crazy
squabbling family dynamics, escalating deception, and broad culture-clash comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- Todd Holland
- Release Date
- 1998-02-27
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 4.6 / 10 (95)
Cast
- Richard Dreyfuss
- Jenna Elfman
- Zakes Mokae
- Siobhan Fallon Hogan
- Natasha Lyonne
- Gregory Smith
- Lily Tomlin
- Stephen Root
- Elaine Stritch
- Mila Kunis
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Krippendorf's Tribe about?
- A desperate anthropology professor turns his children into a fictional New Guinea tribe to disguise a failed expedition and preserve his career.
- What is Krippendorf's Tribe like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Krippendorf's Tribe as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Krippendorf's Tribe violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Krippendorf's Tribe.
- What did critics think of Krippendorf's Tribe?
- Critics broadly found the film a crude, unsophisticated family comedy whose use of racist stereotypes undermined its occasional comic moments.
- Which films are like Krippendorf's Tribe?
- Films with a similar feel include The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mrs. Doubtfire, and The Gods Must Be Crazy.
- How long is Krippendorf's Tribe?
- Krippendorf's Tribe runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Krippendorf's Tribe?
- In United States, Krippendorf's Tribe is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
