The Jazz Singer

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The Jazz Singer

PG

Released Dec 17, 1980

1h 55m

Musical

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Popcornmeter

26%

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23 Reviews

69%

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2,500+ Ratings

Jess Robin (Neil Diamond) dreams of a career in popular music, but his father, Cantor Rabinovitch (Laurence Olivier), forbids it, insisting Jess live as a traditional Jew and inherit his position at the synagogue. With the help of friend and professional musician Bubba (Franklin Ajaye), Jess gets a chance to go to Los Angeles and have famous singer Keith Lennox (Paul Nicholas) record one of his songs. Defying both his father and his wife, Jess leaves New York to pursue his dreams.

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Critics Consensus

Neil Diamond's foray into acting is a total miss in this gaudy and unconvincing remake, with Laurence Olivier on hand to deliver an excruciatingly campy performance.

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Time Out

The most cautious soft-rock superstar movie debut you'll ever get to see.

Jun 24, 2006

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The Jazz Singer has so many things wrong with it that a review threatens to become a list.

Rated: 1/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Janet Maslin

New York Times

Mr. Diamond, looking glum and seldom making eye contact with anyone, isn't enough of a focus for the outmoded story.

Rated: 1.5/5

Aug 30, 2004

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Vicki Pipkin

Billboard

... A safe vehicle for any newcomer to the widescreen because the storyline has universal appeal. [Full review in Spanish]

Mar 28, 2023

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…a wildly amusing film, a vanity project from a star who has got little to be modest about…

Rated: 3/5

Sep 27, 2022

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Jesús Fernández Santos

El Pais (Spain)

The protagonist manages to get through his dilemma between a profane love and home, with the help of Laurence Olivier, at the helm of the veteran Richard Fleischer, and under the umbrella of a soundtrack that will please its fans. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 20, 2019

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Gary S

I just finished watching the movie The Jazz Singer on my 1980 video tape probably for the 5th or 6th time over the years. It affected me more powerfully than ever before. The music, the song, the story, and most of all Neil Diamond struck my heart so powerfully, that I almost had to wring out my handkerchief because of the numerous times of tears rolling down my face. I just can't thank the cast enough for their creation of such an emotional and wonderful movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/26/25

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Claire D

It is a brilliant film. Yes it is of its age (there are parts that wouldn't be ok nowadays) But it is absolutely worth watching and the soundtrack is amazing

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/10/25

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Rob A

For all it's faults (i.e. dubious acting, dubious writing and a blackface scene for the love of God) if you're old enough to like Neil Diamond you've probably seen this more than once - I know I have. There's also a prescient element to the big finale; a reminder of sorts applicable to just about all of us: "Everywhere around the world, they come to America. Everytime that flag's unfurled, they come to America. Got a dream to take them there, they come to America!" We are great because of it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/20/25

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Devra B

I love this movie—I don’t care what the critics say. The music is SO good, and sure it’s a little bit 80s campy, but I wasn’t bored for even one second.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/22/24

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Dave B

For the time, it was a decent movie with an ending that rocked and introduced a song that was played at July 4th gatherings for years after, including major gatherings such as the NYC seaport. It's hard to minimize that kind of impact. Like many movies of the period, including Fame, Flash Dance, Rocky, it was about dreams coming true on a very public level, and, at the time, it seemed to work.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/31/23

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brent t

Listening to soundtrack today and recalling the movie. So looked up and saw that idiots at RT panned this... and summarized Sir Laurence Olivier as being campy here. Not a 5***** movie... sure. But really good. And Neil Diamond perfectly played the part. It's a musical... and the music is moving, well written and classic Neil Diamond (entertaining). Mostly... an uplifting movie. Something critics and Hollywood disdains.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Richard Fleischer

Director

Neil Diamond

Yussel Rabinovitch

Laurence Olivier

Cantor Rabinovitch

Lucie Arnaz

Molly Bell

Catlin Adams

Rivka Rabinovitch

Franklyn Ajaye

Bubba

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Synopsis

Jess Robin (Neil Diamond) dreams of a career in popular music, but his father, Cantor Rabinovitch (Laurence Olivier), forbids it, insisting Jess live as a traditional Jew and inherit his position at the synagogue. With the help of friend and professional musician Bubba (Franklin Ajaye), Jess gets a chance to go to Los Angeles and have famous singer Keith Lennox (Paul Nicholas) record one of his songs. Defying both his father and his wife, Jess leaves New York to pursue his dreams.

Director: Richard Fleischer
Producer: Jerry Leider
Screenwriter: Samson Raphaelson, Samson Raphaelson, Stephen H. Foreman, Herbert Baker
Distributor: Associated Film Distribution
Production Co: EMI Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 17, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2013
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo, Dolby
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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