Beats

Play trailer

2:13

Beats

2019

1h 41m

Drama

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

63 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

In 1994 two Scottish friends head out for a final night of partying before they go their separate ways.

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Critics Consensus

Well-acted and enlivened by an evocative soundtrack and period detail, Beats draws timeless themes out of its specific story and setting.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

The film does a terrific job of replicating the rave scene adjacent to the cultural kerfuffle of Cool Britannia.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 14, 2021

Full Review

Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

The script may be a bleaker take on a tale we've seen so many times before, but their trembling steps toward adulthood hit the right rhythm.

Rated: 2.5/5

Jun 26, 2020

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David Ehrlich

indieWire

If "Beats" slows down on its way to the rave, it makes up for that and then some when it finally gets there.

Rated: B

Jun 26, 2020

Full Review

Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

The characters are written so well around one another that each moment of tension feels hostile, each moment of vulnerability feels sincere, and each moment of banter is hilarious.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 14, 2024

Full Review

Akos Peterbencze

Vulnerable Man (Medium)

You can constantly feel throughout the film that it wants to be something of a remarkable and stylistic flick but falls short in its delivery. It’s a Trainspotting wannabe.

Jul 20, 2023

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Richard Trenholm

CNET

Beats is a heartwarming and hilarious film about friendship and belonging and music...

Mar 31, 2023

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Rob F

Absolute dog muck. A ham fisted, overbaked movie full of unlikely, overly chaotic scenarios and people being unnecessarily mean to each other. None of the characters are even likeable. The soundtrack isn't that good for a rave movie either: Obvious mainstream tracks and the pirate radio DJ isn't believable at all. It's never been that hard to get to a rave for goodness sake, even the train to bloody Bletchley was a cake walk compared to this bogus journey.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

scenes just carry on for too long, using the one shot over and over made the "exciting dance full of drugs and fun" DULL. The music was nausiateing, the characters including the main were EMPTY and unrealistic. This world full of drugs partying gangsters and police brutality should make an exciting movie? an episode of my little pony holds more substance then this movie.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

james g

Best movie I've seen in years. At a tight 90 minutes, "Beats" just rocks. When did directors switch to 2.5 hour borefest films? Anyway, "Beats" perfect, from performances to music to sets to...everything. Maybe my favorite film ever.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Still waiting for that brilliant rave movie to come along. This isn't it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Would of scored it higher but I don't understand why it was in black and white plus their annoying political undertones during the film basically the annoying powerfist and the freaking communist sign. You can create a 90s rave movie without the communist crap in it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It’s Stand By Me, but instead of a dead body, two unhappy Glasgow teenagers are trying to get to their first illegal rave, and maybe their last time together. Great if you grew up in the rave scene of the early 90s.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/27/20

Full Review

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Brian Welsh

Director

Martin Donaghy

Colin

Brian Ferguson

Robert

Ryan Fletcher

PC Billy Moncrief

Laura Fraser

Alison

Rachel Jackson

Wendy

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Beats: Trailer 1

2:13

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Synopsis

In 1994 two Scottish friends head out for a final night of partying before they go their separate ways.

Director: Brian Welsh
Producer: Camilla Bray
Screenwriter: Kieran Hurley, Brian Welsh
Production Co: Rosetta Productions
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 2, 2020
Runtime: 1h 41m

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