The Forty-Year-Old Version

Play trailer

2:20

The Forty-Year-Old Version

R

2020

2h 3m

Comedy

Drama

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

139 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Radha, a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. But when she foils what seems like her last shot at success, she's left with no choice but to reinvent herself as rapper RadhaMUSPrime. The Forty-Year-Old Version follows Radha as she vacillates between the worlds of Hip Hop and theater on a quest to find her true voice.

Watch on Netflix

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The Forty-Year-Old Version opens a compelling window into the ebbs and flows of the artist's life -- and announces writer-director-star Radha Blank as a major filmmaking talent with her feature debut.

Read Critics Reviews

Violet Lucca

Sight & Sound

The Forty-Year-Old Version paints a loving portrait of parts of New York City that aren't represented with such care, if at all, in narrative films of this scale.

Feb 12, 2021

Full Review

Robert Daniels

Polygon

Everything about The Forty-Year-Old Version feels fresh.

Feb 12, 2021

Full Review

Soraya Nadia McDonald

Andscape

The Forty-Year-Old Version offers a refreshing, unpretentious and often hilarious take on middle-aged Black womanhood.

Jan 20, 2021

Full Review

Patrick Beatty

ABC4 Utah

It's a powerhouse film.

Jul 23, 2025

Full Review

Harry Solomons

Loud and Clear Reviews

The Forty-Year-Old Version may not land every punch it throws, but there’s a great deal to be taken from an incredibly fresh picture.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 8, 2025

Full Review

Brandon Stanwyck

InSession Film

Radha Blank’s film filled me with such strength.

Jul 16, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Gabriel E

This movie is overrated, it is not bad but not great either. The whole movie is in black and white for no reason. This movie was released in 2020 not in 1940.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/01/25

Full Review

PL W

Slow and boring … great sleeping pill but as a movie nope

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/17/25

Full Review

Dani R

interesting take. get's a bit cliché and a loses tention sometimes. emotionally shallow. misses depth.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/13/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Funny in 2 hours and 3 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Some Drug Use, Brief Nudity, Sexual Content and Pervasive Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/02/25

Full Review

Taylor X

Brilliant, everyone is the cast was great!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/11/25

Full Review

Peter K

Well done in every aspect: this 'work of heart' will leave you with a smile on your face!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/15/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Radha Blank

Director

Welker White

Julie

Reed Birney

Josh Whitman

Radha Blank

Radha

Peter Kim

Archie

Jacob Ming-Trent

Lamont

Wild Rose

92%

87%

Wild Rose

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Wild Rose

Kneecap

96%

95%

Kneecap

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Kneecap

Lords of Chaos

73%

61%

Lords of Chaos

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Lords of Chaos

Inside Llewyn Davis

92%

74%

Inside Llewyn Davis

Watchlist

Mainstream

42%

40%

Mainstream

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Mainstream

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Awards Leaderboard: Top Movies of 2020

Best-Reviewed Movies & TV 2020

Best-Reviewed Movies by Genre 2020

Fresh First: The Forty-Year-Old Version

3:07

The 40-Year-Old Version: Trailer 1

2:20

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Radha, a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. But when she foils what seems like her last shot at success, she's left with no choice but to reinvent herself as rapper RadhaMUSPrime. The Forty-Year-Old Version follows Radha as she vacillates between the worlds of Hip Hop and theater on a quest to find her true voice.

Director: Radha Blank
Screenwriter: Radha Blank
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Hillman Grad
Rating: R (Sexual Content|Pervasive Language|Brief Nudity|Some Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 9, 2020
Runtime: 2h 3m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now