Movie

The Basketball Diaries

1995 · 102 min

A raw, sobering plunge into addiction and lost youth, carried by a magnetic lead performance and a grimly authentic New York backdrop.

Tagline: The true story of the death of innocence and the birth of an artist.
Overview: A high school basketball player’s life turns upside down after free-falling into the harrowing world of drug addiction.
How it feels: Dark, bleak, melancholic and tense. Measured and needs your attention.
About: Addiction, coming-of-age, grief, isolation
Content: Strong violence, sexual content and language. Mild gore.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Add to a list: The Basketball Diaries

In the USNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.

In your watch list

More like this

Like The Basketball Diaries, but

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown

Tone: darkstrength 3 of 3
bleakstrength 2 of 3
melancholicstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: addiction
coming-of-age
grief
isolation
redemption
Places: big city
school
hospital
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: true story
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language strong
Violence strong
Sex strong