Sarah's Oil
| Sarah's Oil | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Cyrus Nowrasteh |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Johnny Derango |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Kathryn Bostic |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (through Amazon MGM Studios) |
Release date |
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Running time | 104 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $18 million[2] |
| Box office | $12 million[3] |
Sarah's Oil is a 2025 American biographical drama film regarding Sarah Rector, being directed, co-produced, and co-written by Cyrus Nowrasteh. It is inspired by the 2014 book Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America by Tonya Bolden.[4] It stars Zachary Levi, Naya Desir-Johnson, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Garret Dillahunt.
Released theatrically by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer through Amazon MGM Studios on November 7, 2025, Sarah's Oil received generally positive reviews from critics.
Plot
Cast
- Zachary Levi as Bert Smith
- Naya Desir-Johnson as Sarah Rector
- Tamala Jones voices the older Sarah
- Sonequa Martin-Green as Rose Rector
- Garret Dillahunt as Devnan
- Kenric Green as Joe Rector
- Mel Rodriguez as Mace
- Adyan Copes as Junior
- Bridget Regan as Kate Barnard
- Stelio Savante as Earl
- Marco Fuller as Jimsye
- Jonathan Lipnicki as a chemist
Production
In July 2024, principal photography was underway in Oklahoma for Sarah's Oil, which was directed, co-produced, and co-written by Cyrus Nowrasteh with Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh.[5] In August, filming had wrapped, when Zachary Levi, Naya Desir-Johnson, Sonequa Martin-Green, Garret Dillahunt, Bridget Regan, Kenric Green, Adyan Copes, Stelio Savante, and Mel Rodriguez were revealed to have joined the cast.[6][7]
The film was shot primarily in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.[8]
Release
Sarah's Oil was released in the United States on November 7, 2025 by Amazon MGM Studios, having been moved ahead from its original December 25, 2025 date.[6][9]
Reception
Box office
It debuted at #4 at the box office for its opening weekend, grossing $4.5 million.[10]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 12 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "A heartfelt tribute to trailblazer Sarah Rector's extraordinary journey, Sarah's Oil celebrates courage and perseverance, offering a wealthy well of wholesomeness for the entire family."[11][12] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale.
References
- ^ "Sarah's Oil [PG]". Australian Classification Board. October 3, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
- ^ "After four films, this is why 'Sarah's Oil' producer keeps coming back to Oklahoma". The Oklahoman. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ^ "Sarah's Oil – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ^ "Sarah's Oil". Writers Guild of America West. October 23, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
- ^ Jackson, Thomas (July 19, 2024). "From Freedman to Millionaire". MVSkoke Media. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Grobar, Matt (August 5, 2024). "Zachary Levi & Naya Desir-Johnson To Topline Amazon MGM Drama 'Sarah's Oil'; Sonequa Martin-Green And Garret Dillahunt Among Others Set". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 13, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
- ^ McDonnell, Brandy (October 24, 2024). "Amazon, Cherokee Film announce partnerships on Oklahoma-made movie, student scholarships". The Oklahoman. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
- ^ "From Freedman to Millionaire". Mvskokemedia. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ "Theatrical Release Changes for the Week Ending May 18, 2025". The Numbers. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ Domestic 2025 Weekend 45
- ^ "Sarah's Oil". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
- ^ "Sarah's Oil". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 29, 2025.