Kill Your Darlings

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Kill Your Darlings

R

2013

1h 42m

Drama

LGBTQ+

Biography

Romance

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

147 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 1944, young Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) has a rival for the affections of his charismatic classmate Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan). When the rival is found dead, Carr, William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac are arrested for murder.

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Critics Consensus

Bolstered by the tremendous chemistry between Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan, Kill Your Darlings casts a vivid spotlight on an early chapter in the story of the Beat Generation.

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Amy Taubin

Film Comment Magazine

08/28/2019

Krokidas's romantic sense of the characters and the moment corresponds precisely to the way those young men saw themselves-at once closeted and defiant, making up the rules of art and sexuality as they went along.

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

12/08/2013

3/5

Ultimately, it's oddly conservative fare; well played, handsomely mounted, but as inert as the books that its protagonists blithely hurl from the shelves.

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

12/06/2013

3/5

Foster is wonderful as the watchful, weak Burroughs, at ease only when drugged, with a mouth like a cat's bum. But DeHaan is even better.

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Carla Renata

The Curvy Film Critic

Mar 24

Peaked my interest about the beat generation and its subjects, while shedding light on how being gay has always been and continues to be a judgemental, stigmatic label placed into a negative light by insisting being gay is a lifestyle choice.

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George Fenwick

The Post NZ

07/26/2021

Though it's not perfect, Kill Your Darlings is hard to fault with such a brilliant cast bringing the Beat generation to life with such precision.

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David Bax

Battleship Pretension

02/23/2021

Without wasting any time whatsoever, Krokidas falls victim to the glassy-eyed hero worship that causes people to think that any figure they admire must always have been extraordinary at every moment.

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Ryan R.

@RBRShortFilms13 Feb 20

One of the best films of the 2010’s! Highly underrated. 10/10

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Shioka O

@RT54204327 06/02/2025

It's okay, a quick easy watch. Could be more crazier...

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Michael V

@RT01374702 05/05/2024

A true story of obsession and murder. Kill Your Darlings is a 2013 American biographical drama film written by Austin Bunn and directed by John Krokidas in his feature film directorial debut 📚 It’s ok, but I feel mixed about this one 😉 I’d recommend it if you like this genre, but if not then probably give it a miss 👍🏼👎🏼 D A murder in 1944 draws together the great poets of the beat generation: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown 04/18/2024

Radcliffe and Michael C Hall are great bookends of this tale of poets and rivals and war.

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Dani G

@RT81139271 04/16/2024

It's not bad per-se, but I think it's a little dull

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Steve D

@RT35616104 02/06/2024

I have no idea why I should care about any of it.

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John Krokidas

Director

Daniel Radcliffe

Allen Ginsberg

David Cross

Louis Ginsberg

Dane DeHaan

Lucien Carr

Ben Foster

William Burroughs

Michael C. Hall

David Kammerer

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Synopsis

In 1944, young Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) has a rival for the affections of his charismatic classmate Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan). When the rival is found dead, Carr, William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac are arrested for murder.

Director: John Krokidas
Producer: Christine Vachon, Michael Benaroya, Rose Ganguzza, John Krokidas
Screenwriter: John Krokidas, Austin Bunn
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Killer Films
Rating: R (Drug Use|Brief Violence|Language|Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+, Biography, Romance, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 18, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.0M
Runtime: 1h 42m