The Basketball Diaries

1995 Directed by Scott Kalvert

The true story of the death of innocence and the birth of an artist.

Film adaptation of street tough Jim Carroll's epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction.

Leonardo DiCaprio Lorraine Bracco James Madio Mark Wahlberg Bruno Kirby Patrick McGaw Juliette Lewis Michael Imperioli Ernie Hudson Manny Alfaro Cynthia Daniel Brittany Daniel Michael Rapaport Roy Cooper

Alternative Titles

To telos tis athootitas, Przetrwać w Nowym Jorku, Zapiski Koszykarza

crime drama

102 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by issy 🥝 ★★ 5

not quite what I expected from troy bolton’s origin story but the guy always was a bit unpredictable
Review by Twan ★★★★ 3

Shockingly similar to Space Jam.
Review by Bunny🐰🪓 ★★★½ 4

Based on the autobiographical journals of Jim Carroll, the basketball diaries revolves around the life of him and a bunch of his friends and their descent into the hell hole of drug addiction and crime.
The basketball diaries is an accurate portrayal of how teenagers get drawn into to dark world of drugs and to what extent they can go to satisfy their hunger for it, it's a very depressing film specially the scenes of withdrawals that Leo's character jim is going through are hard to watch and leo is phenomenal when comes to his performance almost every member of the cast played their parts with perfection, but this movie isn't just about drug addiction it's also about loss and…
Review by ally 🦋 ★★★★ 2

drug addicts freak me out a lot but wow leo’s performance in this was incredible, so raw and haunting
Review by Jack ★★★

is this a prequel to the wolf of wall street
Review by Rafael Jovine ★★★★ 2

Sharing pretty much the same rating on Rotten Tomatoes with Kids, the young Leo DiCaprio’s leading film is personally vastly above the Korine’s movie – especially when it comes to delivering some of the hardship many kids went through back then, and still do today.
DiCaprio, once again, proves why he’s at the very top list of child actors and seeing performances like this, its not surprise he gradually became an Oscar caliber performer. While at times it may feel he’s a bit overreacting, he’s work in here is simply stellar. Some of the supporting cast like Ernie Hudson and young Macky Mark are also great, with this being probably one of Wahlberg’s finest work.
People have complained about technical…
Review by William Teasdale ★★★★½

any movie in which a heroin addicted Leonardo DiCaprio jerks off on a roof deserves at least 4+ stars.
Review by maria ★★★★

me 25% of the movie: omg leo is so talented wtf
me 75% of the movie: omg leo is so hot wtf
Review by mima 🌙 ★★★★

This movie is really good, heart breaking and very realistic. It showes a lot of truth when it came to people struggling with drugs and violence. Its gritty and although I've never been in those situations I think its really realistic and added to that the story line is so good and so many talented actors.
Impressive performance from DiCaprio only involves you more and more into the story. I have no idea why he did not get an oscar for this.
He played his character with such a passion and he did it so well. There were scenes were I just cried.
There is one scene where he is crying at his mums front door and begging for money, that scene deserves an Oscar alone.
Review by francesca ★★★½

seeing this made me finally understand the anger people felt at watching leo lose oscar after oscar
Review by Lara Pop ★★★½

That scene where leo is trying to get into the house and get some money from his mother and the camera showing both of them but them not seeing each other because of the door thats between them but me seeing both their struggles and leo grabbing his mothers hand desperately and begging her for money and her not letting him in and being right because hes stoned out of his mind and has a knife and is fucking dangerous and unpredictable and leo realizing that sweet words are not going to get him the money and him stepping into crashing into the next phase the animal phase the wild unpredictable phase and him shouting a thousand bitches at his…
Review by diana ★★★★ 2

Leo can get it anytime love you boo <33

Recent reviews

Review by elviluna13 ★★★★

Buena crítica de la educación católica y la sociedad que la rodea.
Solo objetar que pretendan vendernos que lo único que separa a Leonardo DiCaprio de la NBA sean las drogas.
Pd: Reggie un bestia
Review by mariaa19 ★★★★

plot twist que estigui basat en una història real i si us plau que algú ajudi al pobre jimmy :(
Review by Anon4 ‘Good Bautista Ferri’ ★★★½

Hard to watch.
One of Leo’s best performances.
Review by barry01

Drug addiction is rough man.
Review by Thisura Jayathilaka ★★★★½

Undoubtedly one of Leo's top 3 performance ! 👌 Such a versatile actor he is 🥺🥺🥺
Review by gwen :-)

”I just want to be pure.”
this movie will always be special to me.
leo’s performance in this... yuuuuup. incredible. his talent and passion has been evident ever since he first started as a kid, and he hasn’t ever failed to deliver.
Review by emreklcts ★★★★

Film, uyuşturucu ve bağımlılık temalarını çok çarpıcı bir şekilde dile getirmiş.Bana ”Bir Rüya İçin Ağıt” filmini hatırlattı.Güzel senaryo üstüne gelen DiCaprio ve Wahlberg oyunculukları filmin tuzu biberi olmuş.
Review by hobikir ★★★★

ngc eh nunca cheirar e ta tudo certo
Review by beryl ★★★★★

forever angry did leo didn’t get best actor award for this
Review by jinxsyrinx ★★★★

I think there is a misunderstanding regarding drug addiction with jim however some things here are a bit over exaggerated but very realistic. Good regarding how quickly you can go to shit starting drugs and let yourself get addicted and your life goes to shit. His friend dying... The ending when he asks his mom for money... there were so many people that could help jim before he got addicted but they all knew he had a drug addiction but did not even try except for reggie.... at least he got better after
Review by yan11 ★★★★½

sick how leo was already a legend at 21y old
Review by satanism9 ★★★★½

eu