Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Basketball Diaries

  • 19951995
  • RR
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
111K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,687
143
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
Trailer for The Basketball Diaries
Play trailer0:31
2 Videos
83 Photos
BiographyCrimeDrama
A teenager finds his dreams of becoming a basketball star threatened after he free falls into the harrowing world of drug addiction.A teenager finds his dreams of becoming a basketball star threatened after he free falls into the harrowing world of drug addiction.A teenager finds his dreams of becoming a basketball star threatened after he free falls into the harrowing world of drug addiction.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
111K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,687
143
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Scott Kalvert
    • Writers
      • Jim Carroll(novel)
      • Bryan Goluboff(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Leonardo DiCaprio
      • Lorraine Bracco
      • Marilyn Sokol
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Scott Kalvert
    • Writers
      • Jim Carroll(novel)
      • Bryan Goluboff(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Leonardo DiCaprio
      • Lorraine Bracco
      • Marilyn Sokol
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 200User reviews
    • 41Critic reviews
    • 46Metascore

    Videos2

    The Basketball Diaries
    Trailer 0:31
    The Basketball Diaries
    What Roles Did Leonardo DiCaprio Almost Play?
    Video 4:07
    What Roles Did Leonardo DiCaprio Almost Play?

    Photos83

    Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, James Madio, and Patrick McGaw in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Leonardo DiCaprio and Lorraine Bracco in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Leonardo DiCaprio in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Leonardo DiCaprio in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Leonardo DiCaprio and Patrick McGaw in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    James Madio in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Patrick McGaw in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, James Madio, and Patrick McGaw in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Mark Wahlberg in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Mark Wahlberg in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Leonardo DiCaprio and Lorraine Bracco in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, and James Madio in The Basketball Diaries (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Leonardo DiCaprio
    Leonardo DiCaprio
    • Jim Carroll
    Lorraine Bracco
    Lorraine Bracco
    • Jim's Mother
    Marilyn Sokol
    Marilyn Sokol
    • Chanting Woman
    James Madio
    James Madio
    • Pedro
    Patrick McGaw
    Patrick McGaw
    • Neutron
    Mark Wahlberg
    Mark Wahlberg
    • Mickey
    Roy Cooper
    Roy Cooper
    • Father McNulty
    Vincent Pastore
    Vincent Pastore
    • Construction Worker
    • (as Vinnie Pastore)
    Bruno Kirby
    Bruno Kirby
    • Swifty
    Jimmy Papiris
    • Iggy
    Nick Gaetani
    • Referee #1
    Alexander Chaplin
    Alexander Chaplin
    • Bobo
    • (as Alexander Gaberman)
    Ben Jorgensen
    Ben Jorgensen
    • Tommy
    Josh Mostel
    Josh Mostel
    • Counterman
    Juliette Lewis
    Juliette Lewis
    • Diane Moody
    Michael Imperioli
    Michael Imperioli
    • Bobby
    Akiko Ashley
    Akiko Ashley
    • Stripper
    Ernie Hudson
    Ernie Hudson
    • Reggie
    • Director
      • Scott Kalvert
    • Writers
      • Jim Carroll(novel)
      • Bryan Goluboff(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    What's Eating Gilbert Grape
    7.7
    What's Eating Gilbert Grape
    This Boy's Life
    7.3
    This Boy's Life
    Marvin's Room
    6.7
    Marvin's Room
    The Beach
    6.6
    The Beach
    Romeo + Juliet
    6.7
    Romeo + Juliet
    Total Eclipse
    6.5
    Total Eclipse
    Revolutionary Road
    7.3
    Revolutionary Road
    The Man in the Iron Mask
    6.5
    The Man in the Iron Mask
    The Aviator
    7.5
    The Aviator
    Blood Diamond
    8.0
    Blood Diamond
    Curtis's Charm
    6.7
    Curtis's Charm
    Gangs of New York
    7.5
    Gangs of New York

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jim Carroll: Writer and subject of the movie, the guy Jim talks to in the underground drug den.
    • Goofs
      When Jim, Pedro, and Mickey steal the car to sell to Mickey's brother, Jim is smoking a cigarette which he takes a drag of then throws out the window. When Pedro nearly crashes the car, he is smoking it again.
    • Quotes

      Jim Carroll: You're growing up. And rain sort of remains on the branches of a tree that will someday rule the Earth. And it's good that there is rain. It clears the month of your sorry rainbow expressions, and it clears the streets of the silent armies... so we can dance.

    • Alternate versions
      This film was passed uncut with an 18 rating in the UK in 2000. It was previously cut by 47 seconds by the distributor. The cuts were to the dream sequence where kids are shot in school, which was removed by the distributor in response to the Dunblane massacre.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Kiss of Death/Jury Duty/Stuart Saves His Family/The Basketball Diaries/The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Catholic Boy
      Written by Jim Carroll

      Performed by Jim Carroll with Pearl Jam

      Pearl Jam appears courtesy of Epic Records

    User reviews200

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    more than gritty, and there's really no link to Columbine
    I remember that when the Columbine shootings happened, some people blamed "The Basketball Diaries". When I saw the movie, I couldn't understand the connection at all. True, there's a school shooting scene, but focusing only on that misses the movie's point. The movie is the true story of New York teenager Jim Carroll (Leonardo DiCaprio) and how he descended into the ugly world of drug addiction. If you're squeamish, then I should warn you that there are some pretty nasty scenes of drug addiction and what happens.

    Yes, it's ugly what happens, but that's what makes the movie so good: they're not afraid to get down and dirty. Also starring are Lorraine Bracco as Jim's mother, Mark Wahlberg as Jim's friend, Bruno Kirby as the high school coach, Juliette Lewis as an acquaintance, and Ernie Hudson as a man who saves Jim from dying out in the cold.

    Like I said, this is not a movie for the fainthearted. But otherwise, I truly recommend it.
    helpful•6
    0
    • lee_eisenberg
    • Jun 8, 2006

    FAQ1

    • What has been cut out of the British BBFC 18 release?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 21, 1995 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Streets of New York
    • Filming locations
      • Forest Hills High School, Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • New Line Cinema
      • Island Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,381,087
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $765,335
      • Apr 23, 1995
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,402,438
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Leonardo DiCaprio in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for The Basketball Diaries (1995)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View image
    Photos
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    See the gallery
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Double Take: Celebrity Twins
    See the full list
    Back to top

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.