Drumline

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Drumline

PG-13

2002

1h 58m

Comedy

Drama

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

86 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Set against the high-energy, high-stakes world of show-style marching bands, "Drumline" is a fish-out-of-water comedy about a talented street drummer from Harlem who enrolls in a Southern university, expecting to lead its marching band's drumline to victory. He initially flounders in his new world before realizing that it takes a more than talent to reach the top.

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Critics Consensus

Essentially a sports movie with drums, the energetic Drumline somehow manages to make the familiar seem fresh.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Outstanding cast, great message, strong language.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 22, 2010

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

The joy of the movie is in the getting there, and Drumline gets so much of the little stuff right that the denouement ends up being nothing less than rousing.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 19, 2003

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Charles Taylor

Salon.com

Charles Stone III is a craftsman with brains and taste, an instinctive sense of where to put the camera and the discipline not to belabor scenes.

Jan 10, 2003

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Justin Brown

Medium Popcorn

The main protagonist is incredibly unlikeable and the plot is mindless. I didn't care about any of the characters.

Rated: 1/5

Jul 2, 2023

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Brandon Collins

Medium Popcorn

As questionable as Nick Cannon's character is, this is still entertaining. The drumming scenes were fantastic.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 2, 2023

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

True bandos can see themselves in this exuberant, charismatic and lovingly accurate college marching-band movie that faked no flavor while staying in step with themes of instruction, character and respect.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 25, 2010

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Branden V

I was marching snare in high school I loved it and when I watched this movie with my dad it felt like I was there again

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/25

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Jace E

The drumming was pretty cool... Yeah... That's about it. Best Character: Dr. Lee Best Quote: "You're the best, Devon! But when we're on the field, nobody hears you! They hear the band." - Sean Best Scene: Two in Front

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/21/25

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Michael W

This music movie was pretty good. Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Leonard Roberts, Orlando Jones, and the rest of the cast did a pretty good job in this movie. The story of the movie was kind of entertaining and dramatic. It's about showing people what you're made of. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you might enjoy it. It wasn't as great as I thought it would be, but it wasn't terrible.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/01/25

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Theo S

Filled with impressive drumming, good music and an interesting enough plot to keep most entertained.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/24

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Rosana B

oderiam ter investido mais no drama que na rebeldia sem causa de um jovem talentoso, mas mimado (nem tinha motivos para isso, já que fora abandonado pelo pai e criada por mãe solo) e sem limites, beirando o irresponsável, um filme bonitinho sobre bandas escolares e toda sua dedicação necessária para uma apresentação majestosa... Bonitinho...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Same old story line with in different setting. Talented, cocky kid gets straightened out and makes good. This time it's a drummer in a college marching band instead of an athlete. Conflicts with authority, has a girlfriend and all the same trappings. In the end he straightens out and makes good. Who woulda guessed.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Charles Stone III

Director

Nick Cannon

Devon

Zoe Saldaña

Laila

Orlando Jones

Dr. Lee

Leonard Roberts

Sean

GQ

Jayson

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Synopsis

Set against the high-energy, high-stakes world of show-style marching bands, "Drumline" is a fish-out-of-water comedy about a talented street drummer from Harlem who enrolls in a Southern university, expecting to lead its marching band's drumline to victory. He initially flounders in his new world before realizing that it takes a more than talent to reach the top.

Director: Charles Stone III
Producer: Wendy Finerman, Timothy M. Bourne, Jody Gerson
Screenwriter: Shawn Schepps, Shawn Schepps, Tina Gordon
Distributor: 20th Century Fox of Germany, 20th Century Fox de Argentina [ar], 20th Century Fox, Fox
Production Co: Fox 2000 Pictures, Wendy Finerman Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Innuendo)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 13, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $56.4M
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, DTS, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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