Treading Water
After prison, a man battling addiction and intrusive thoughts finds an uneasy source of connection in a friend facing her own destructive patterns.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- bleak
- intimate
- psychologically intense
- reflective evening
- independent cinema night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Danny’s central predicament begins with his release from prison and his difficulty rebuilding a life while addiction and intrusive thoughts persist.
Danny’s intrusive thoughts are explicitly identified as a defining obstacle rather than a single plot twist or temporary crisis.
Danny reconnects with Laura, whose own destructive choices make their bond reciprocal, vulnerable, and morally complicated.
Both Danny and Laura are described as trapped in choices that continue to shape their lives after Danny’s release.
Films like Treading Water, and why
Clean and Sober
shared addiction recovery drama, grounded realism, and emotionally raw character study
Leaving Las Vegas
shared bleak psychological intensity, substance dependency, and tragicomic human vulnerability
Tyrannosaur
shared British social realism, damaged protagonists, and intimate focus on destructive personal choices
Movie Details
- Director
- Gino Evans
- Release Date
- 2025-04-25
- Runtime
- 121 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (1)
Cast
- Joe Gill
- Becky Bowe
- Darren Connolly
- Darryl Clark
- Joanne Dakin
- Elianne Byrne
- Christine Dalby
- Vincent Davies
- Leah Salmon
- Tahlia Cherry
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- 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 Treading Water about?
- After prison, a man battling addiction and intrusive thoughts finds an uneasy source of connection in a friend facing her own destructive patterns.
- What is Treading Water like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Treading Water as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Treading Water violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Treading Water.
- Which films are like Treading Water?
- Films with a similar feel include Clean and Sober, Leaving Las Vegas, and Tyrannosaur.
- How long is Treading Water?
- Treading Water runs 121 minutes.
- Where can I watch Treading Water?
- In United States, Treading Water streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
