Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

Play trailer Poster for Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child 2010 1h 33m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
A thoughtful portrait of a renowned artist, this documentary shines the spotlight on New York City painter Jean-Michel Basquiat. Featuring extensive interviews conducted by Basquiat's friend, filmmaker Tamra Davis, the production reveals how he dealt with being a black artist in a predominantly white field. The film also explores Basquiat's rise in the art world, which led to a close relationship with Andy Warhol, and looks at how the young painter coped with acclaim, scrutiny and fame.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

Critics Reviews

View More
Rick Groen Globe and Mail 10/08/2010
3/4
Tamra Davis's documentary does serve as a worthy companion to Julian Schnabel's 1996 biopic. Go to Full Review
Carrie Rickey Philadelphia Inquirer 09/16/2010
3.5/4
A touching portrait that may not be the last word on the painter, but has facts and context to burn. Go to Full Review
Sebastian Smee Boston Globe 09/16/2010
3/4
The intimate, home video footage -- which has never been shown -- feels poignant, a throwback to Basquiat's early days on the New York scene when he got by on his good looks, an elusive inner confidence, and the generosity of others. Go to Full Review
David Lamble Bay Area Reporter 06/10/2020
Using Basquiat's words and his art, labeled bebop-influenced neo-expressionism or sometimes gutter punk, Davis means to resurrect the relevance of a black artist pioneer... Go to Full Review
Brian D. Johnson Maclean's Magazine 10/04/2019
This documentary is a wonderfully rich and evocative portrait of the artist as a young man... Go to Full Review
Laura Hiros Rincón de cine 03/21/2018
3/5
... [Director Tamra Davis] shows us an unknown facet of the artist, with a series of interviews and touching images that reveal the personality of a contemporary art hero... [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
06/14/2024 Basquiat is a genius, and this film shows the human aspect of creating process. See more 05/14/2016 gr8 bio-doc really liked this one alot. See more 07/26/2015 Everything is illuminated! See more 06/26/2015 Tamra Davis coloca Jean-Michel Basquiat no centro de um retrato eficaz, inspirador e surpreendentemente enternecedor. Estes méritos contribuem para que "The Radiant Child" seja quase um trampolim para um conhecimento mais aprofundado do trabalho de Basquiat. Com todo a arte incrível que abunda ao longo de quase uma hora e meia, era necessária uma realização péssima para arruinar este documentário. See more 11/17/2014 Extensive old footage interspersed with contemporary interviews give the viewer a real feel for the time, the place and the artist. See more 12/02/2013 My favorite movie of all time. Very inspirational and informative. Correctly focused more on the art than on the person. This makes more sense, because the art is the deepest, most informative reflection of the person. This is a concept that may be complex, but if you pay attention closely while observing a painting it will tell you all that you need to know about Jean Michel Basquiat. See more Read all reviews
Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Women Art Revolution 84% 58% Women Art Revolution Watchlist Cameraman: The Life & Work of Jack Cardiff 97% 91% Cameraman: The Life & Work of Jack Cardiff Watchlist Great Directors 66% 43% Great Directors Watchlist American: The Bill Hicks Story 84% 86% American: The Bill Hicks Story Watchlist Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson 85% 83% Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis A thoughtful portrait of a renowned artist, this documentary shines the spotlight on New York City painter Jean-Michel Basquiat. Featuring extensive interviews conducted by Basquiat's friend, filmmaker Tamra Davis, the production reveals how he dealt with being a black artist in a predominantly white field. The film also explores Basquiat's rise in the art world, which led to a close relationship with Andy Warhol, and looks at how the young painter coped with acclaim, scrutiny and fame.
Director
Tamra Davis
Producer
Lilly Bright, Stanley F. Buchthal, David Koh, Alexis Spraic
Screenwriter
Eric Martin, Lois Vossen
Distributor
Arthouse Films
Production Co
Fortissimo Film Sales
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 21, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 13, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$256.2K
Runtime
1h 33m
Most Popular at Home Now