Short answer
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% of 254 critics positive, average 7.8 out of 10. Metacritic: 80 out of 100 from 45 critics. The National Board of Review named it one of the top films of 2019, and Taylor Russell won the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor.
Scores
Critic scores for Waves (2019)
| Site | Score | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | 84%, average 7.8/10 | 254 reviews |
| Metacritic | 80/100 | 45 critics |
Scores as reported by Wikipedia; aggregator numbers can shift slightly over time.
Notable reviews
- Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com: four stars.
- Paul Whitington, Irish Independent: five stars.
- Eric Kohn, IndieWire: B+.
Wins
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films of 2019.
- Gotham Awards: Breakthrough Actor, Taylor Russell.
- Santa Barbara International Film Festival: Virtuoso Award, Taylor Russell.
- New York Film Critics Online: Breakthrough Performance, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
- Hamptons International Film Festival: Zicherman Screenplay Award.
- Motion Picture Sound Editors: Golden Reel Award for music score editing.
- African American Film Critics Association: Breakout Performance and Top 10 Films.
Nominations
- NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor, Sterling K. Brown.
- Independent Spirit Awards: Best Supporting Female.
- Chicago Film Critics Association: Most Promising Performer, Taylor Russell.
- Black Reel Awards: several categories.
Awards list: Wikipedia. Box office and release dates are on release and box office.
Questions people ask
Did Waves win any Oscars?
No. It was not nominated for an Academy Award. Its wins came from the National Board of Review, the Gotham Awards, festivals and critics groups.
Is Waves worth watching?
Most critics thought so: 84% positive on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic, which rates as generally favorable. Expect a hard first half; the rating and content are on the parents guide page.
Sources
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Streaming catalogs and listings change; check the service before you pay.