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The Basketball Diaries

Play trailer Poster for The Basketball Diaries R 1995 1h 42m Drama Crime Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
45% Tomatometer 42 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Jim Carroll (Leonardo DiCaprio) is consumed by his life as a high school basketball star. Pressured by a wicked coach (Bruno Kirby) and a concerned mother (Lorraine Bracco), Jim develops an appetite for heroin. Soon, the mean streets of New York City have replaced the basketball court as his main destination. Jim and his friends scrounge, steal and prostitute themselves to score drugs. Jim's only chance to escape addiction may be Reggie (Ernie Hudson), a neighborhood friend and hoops companion.
The Basketball Diaries

What to Know

Critics Consensus

In spite of its young leading man's heroic efforts to hold it all together, a muddled message prevents The Basketball Diaries from compelling as a cautionary tale.

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Critics Reviews

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Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly For those few soul-freezing moments, you get a glimpse of the great actor Leonardo DiCaprio is going to be. Rated: B- Mar 24, 2008 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Significantly, the movie keeps the hero's reformation offscreen as well as unexplained; it's more interested in shock effects than in candor or elucidation. Mar 24, 2008 Full Review Time Out The angel-faced DiCaprio is a gifted actor, but he lacks the authority and physical presence to keep us with him. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Mal Vincent The Virginian-Pilot There is no conflict here, just pointless and aimless wandering. It's a downer but, nonetheless, an intriguing DiCaprio performance. Rated: 2/4 Mar 1, 2022 Full Review Q.V. Hough Vague Visages DiCaprio's early 90s accomplishments have been widely dismissed or ignored ever since Titanic's Jack Dawson become a beloved movie figure amongst parents and their nostalgia-loving kids. Feb 18, 2022 Full Review Jas Keimig The Stranger (Seattle, WA) The screenplay could definitely have been better-but it's worth the watch for Leo's performance alone. Jan 7, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Buck M Moving film and performances Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/02/25 Full Review Stephen C Success in 1 hour and 42 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $2,100,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/02/25 Full Review Adam Y an intoxicating, frightening and emotionally honest essay on the self-destructive impulses of the nascent artist Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/18/25 Full Review John C For those few soul-freezing moments, you get a glimpse of the great actor Leonardo DiCaprio is going to be. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/21/25 Full Review Jen O Great performances and writing Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/28/25 Full Review Yuri d o filme tem muitos erros, incluindo que não mostra a evolução do protagonista, no final ele só aparece superado, além de ter cenas deprimentes que não tem muito sentido, tirando isso o filme é bom em mostrar o vício nas drogas Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/26/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Basketball Diaries

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Movie Info

Synopsis Jim Carroll (Leonardo DiCaprio) is consumed by his life as a high school basketball star. Pressured by a wicked coach (Bruno Kirby) and a concerned mother (Lorraine Bracco), Jim develops an appetite for heroin. Soon, the mean streets of New York City have replaced the basketball court as his main destination. Jim and his friends scrounge, steal and prostitute themselves to score drugs. Jim's only chance to escape addiction may be Reggie (Ernie Hudson), a neighborhood friend and hoops companion.
Director
Scott Kalvert
Producer
Liz Heller, John Bard Manulis
Screenwriter
Bryan Goluboff
Production Co
New Line Cinema, Island Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Drama, Crime, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 19, 2004
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.1M
Runtime
1h 42m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo