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Kill Your Darlings

  • 20132013
  • RR
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
39K
YOUR RATING
Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    While he is attending Columbia University in 1944, the young Allen Ginsberg’s life is turned upside down when he sets eyes on Lucien Carr, an impossibly cool and boyishly handsome classmate. Carr opens Ginsberg up to a bohemian world and introduces him to William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac.
Play trailer2:04
6 Videos
99+ Photos
BiographyDramaRomance
A murder in 1944 draws together the great poets of the beat generation: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs.A murder in 1944 draws together the great poets of the beat generation: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs.A murder in 1944 draws together the great poets of the beat generation: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
39K
YOUR RATING
    • John Krokidas
    • Austin Bunn(screenplay)
    • John Krokidas(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Daniel Radcliffe
    • Dane DeHaan
    • Michael C. Hall
    • John Krokidas
    • Austin Bunn(screenplay)
    • John Krokidas(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Daniel Radcliffe
    • Dane DeHaan
    • Michael C. Hall
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 89User reviews
    • 188Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos6

    Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:04
    Watch Theatrical Trailer
    Kill Your Darlings
    Clip 1:30
    Watch Kill Your Darlings
    Kill Your Darlings
    Clip 1:09
    Watch Kill Your Darlings
    Kill Your Darlings
    Clip 1:33
    Watch Kill Your Darlings
    Kill Your Darlings
    Clip 1:04
    Watch Kill Your Darlings
    Kill Your Darlings
    Clip 1:21
    Watch Kill Your Darlings

    Photos151

    Ben Foster in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Daniel Radcliffe in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Michael C. Hall in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Daniel Radcliffe, Nicole Signore, and Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Jack Huston and Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Jennifer Jason Leigh in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Daniel Radcliffe in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Elizabeth Olsen and Jack Huston in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    David Cross and Daniel Radcliffe in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings (2013)
    Michael C. Hall and Daniel Radcliffe in Kill Your Darlings (2013)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Daniel Radcliffe
    Daniel Radcliffe
    • Allen Ginsberg
    Dane DeHaan
    Dane DeHaan
    • Lucien Carr
    Michael C. Hall
    Michael C. Hall
    • David Kammerer
    Ben Foster
    Ben Foster
    • William Burroughs
    Jack Huston
    Jack Huston
    • Jack Kerouac
    David Cross
    David Cross
    • Louis Ginsberg
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    • Naomi Ginsberg
    Elizabeth Olsen
    Elizabeth Olsen
    • Edie Parker
    John Cullum
    John Cullum
    • Professor Steeves
    Brenda Wehle
    Brenda Wehle
    • Permissions Librarian
    Erin Darke
    Erin Darke
    • Gwendolyn
    Craig Chester
    Craig Chester
    • Businessman
    Lenore Harris
    • DA Secretary
    Mark Ethan
    Mark Ethan
    • Campus Guard
    Zach Appelman
    Zach Appelman
    • Luke Detweiler
    David Rasche
    David Rasche
    • Dean
    Quinlan Corbett
    Quinlan Corbett
    • Billeting Officer
    Dawn Newman
    • Jazz Singer
      • John Krokidas
      • Austin Bunn(screenplay) (story)
      • John Krokidas(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 2008, while performing the Broadway play Equus, Daniel Radcliffe auditioned and got the part of Allen Ginsberg. Radcliffe went on to film the last two Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011), and with him unavailable for filming, Chris Evans, Jesse Eisenberg, and Ben Whishaw were cast without Radcliffe. Shortly after, financing for the film fell through. When director John Krokidas started again with the film, he offered the role of Allen Ginsberg back to Radcliffe.
    • Goofs
      Jack Kerouac, upon his arrest, contacts his father and we hear an American accent on the line. Kerouac's parents were French-speaking Quebecois and it took Jack until his late teens to fully master English, which he spoke with a slight Québec lilt; it is thus unlikely his father and he would have spoken in English, much less in a General American accent.
    • Quotes

      Allen Ginsberg: Some things, once you've loved them, become yours forever./And if you try to let them go... /They only circle back and return to you./They become part of who you are...

      Lucien Carr: ...or they destroy you.

    • Crazy credits
      The first part of the end credits run over the top of photographs of the real Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Lucien Carr and William S. Burroughs.
    • Connections
      Featured in Film '72: Episode dated 3 December 2013 (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Lilli Marlene
      Written by Norbert Schultze, Hans Leip, Tommie Connor

      Performed by Anne Shelton, Stanley Black and his Orchestra

      Published by Edward B Marks Music Company

      Courtesy of Decca Music Group Limited under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews89

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Getting to know the Beat Generation
    "Another lover hits the universe. The circle is broken. But with death comes rebirth. And like all lovers and sad people, I am a poet."

    I knew nothing about Kill Your Darlings going into this movie (which means I basically don't know anything about modern American literature because apparently these guys were famous poets that influenced their generation during the 50's with their literary work). Known today as the Beat generation, they basically rejected the moral standards imposed at the time and innovated in style while experimenting with drugs and sex. Many films based on their work have been adapted for for the big screen (Howl, On the Road, and Naked Lunch), but I haven't seen them, so I actually went into this film without knowing anything about these writers. The film serves as an introduction as to how these writers came together and influenced one another during their teenage years, and it is told from Allen Ginsberg's point of view. This biographical drama/thriller may not be entirely factual, but it is still a fascinating story, and once the film ended it made me want to know about who these people were. The film's main attraction is the excellent chemistry between Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan who give excellent performances (and after a while you actually forget Radcliffe is Harry Potter). The supporting cast is also strong, including Michael C. Hall, Ben Foster, and Jack Huston. I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Olsen, but in this film her character wasn't given much to work with, but it makes sense considering the Beat generation is a male dominated movement. It ended up influencing the hippie movement in the 60's and popular rock bands like The Beatles. This film only focuses on the early stages of their lives, but it shows how these artists came to know each other and how Lucien Carr was the most influential figure in their formation.

    The screenplay was co-written by director John Krokidas and Austin Bunn focusing on the early stages of Alan Ginsberg's (Daniel Radcliffe) life as he began studying at Columbia University which shaped his philosophical views on life. The turning point in his life was when he met his classmate, Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) who taught him to question the orthodox methods of the school and introduced him to other future icons of the Beat generation: William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster), and Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston). Together they would hang out in night clubs exploring new literary ideas and basically rediscovering themselves. They were against moral boundaries and explored with drugs and sex. Alan and some of the others also dealt with their homosexuality, while some tried to hide it. Lu also introduced Alan to one of his mentors, David Krammerer (Michal C. Hall), who was obsessed with Lu and ultimately led to a tragic event.

    The film succeeds mostly because of the great performances from the young cast and because it is actually an intriguing story. John Krokidas isn't a director I was familiar with, but he does a decent job with this film. The film does have a believable 40's style and it stays true to the period. It is really well paced as well and it begins to get more interesting once the crime takes place. Unfortunately the film does lack some structure and at times I felt like it was wandering off. The scenes with Allen's mother never were explored much, but we understand how it affected his life and his relationship with his father. The characters are sometimes a bit too clever and don't feel real at times. Still, I was engaged with this film thanks to the material which is very interesting and I enjoyed the performances very much. The film is ambiguous at times, but that is what will leave you thinking and wanting to learn more about these characters at the end. It is all over the place at times, but I was drawn in to the story and for a biopic it gets the job done.
    helpful•28
    10
    • estebangonzalez10
    • Mar 27, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 19, 2013 (Croatia)
      • United States
      • Official Facebook Page
      • Official site
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Killer Films
      • Benaroya Pictures
      • Outpost Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 44 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby Digital

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