The Basketball Diaries
Directed by Scott Kalvert · 1995 ·
The Basketball Diaries (1995) earns a 63% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Audiences (74%) responded more warmly than critics (47%).
Averaged from five public sources (critic, audience, Metascore, Letterboxd, IMDb). See how we calculate scores.
Five-source breakdown
Theatrical release Where to watch
Not confirmed on any major streaming platform yet — check local listings.
Why this score?
- Critics were divided or negative (47%).
- General viewers mostly liked it (74%).
- Celluloid Score 63% averages all five public rating sources — our own composite, not a third-party trademark score.
Best for
- Short runtime — easy weeknight watch
- Crowd-pleaser seekers — audiences liked it more than critics
Not ideal for
- Viewers who only watch top-tier, 90%+ rated films
Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy
Is The Basketball Diaries worth watching?
Yes — The Basketball Diaries earns a 63% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.
Critics Consensus
DiCaprio as Jim Carroll — a raw addiction drama that cemented his ’90s serious-actor credentials.
Celluloid Critics Consensus
Audiences (74%) responded more warmly than critics (47%).
What is The Basketball Diaries about?
A high school basketball player’s life turns upside down after free-falling into the harrowing world of drug addiction.
Reader takes
No reader takes published yet — be the first helpful voice.
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