Neutron reflectometry is a powerful method for probing the molecular scale structure of both hard and soft condensed matter films. Moreover, the phase-sensitive methods which have been developed make it possible for specular neutron reflectometry to be effectively employed as an imaging device of the composition depth profile of thin film materials with a spatial resolution approaching a fraction of a nanometer. The image of the cross-sectional distribution of matter in the film obtained in such a way can be shown to be, in most cases, unambiguous to a degree limited primarily by the range and statistical uncertainty of the reflectivity data available. The application of phase-sensitive neutron reflectometry (PSNR) to the study of several types of soft matter thin film systems are illustrated by a number of specific examples from recent studies. In addition, new software tools available to the researcher to apply PSNR methods and analysis are discussed. Display omitted ► Phase-sensitive neutron reflectometry (PSNR) is a powerful probe of film structure. ► Specular PSNR is sensitive to the compositional depth profile along the film normal. ► Specular PSNR is capable of nanometer scale resolution under ideal conditions. ► Specular PSNR is particularly applicable to soft condensed matter film systems. ► In the specular PSNR method, the retrieval of phase information minimizes ambiguity.