Movies / The Basketball Diaries (1995)
Runtime: 102 min
Genres: Biography Crime Drama Sport
Languages: English
Countries: USA
Film adaptation of street tough Jim Carroll's epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction. As a member of a seemingly unbeatable high school basketball squad, Jim's life centers around the basketball court and the court becomes a metaphor for the world in his mind. A best friend who is dying of leukemia, a coach ("Swifty") who takes unacceptable liberties with the boys on his team, teenage sexual angst, and an unhealthy appetite for heroin -- all of these begin to encroach on young Jim's dream of becoming a basketball star. Soon, the dark streets of New York become a refuge from his mother's mounting concern for her son. He can't go home and his only escape from the reality of the streets is heroin for which he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. Only with the help of Reggie, an older neighborhood friend with whom Jim "picked up a game" now and then, is he able to begin the long journey back to sanity.
Keywords (308) |
---|
whipped cream molestation high school athlete drug withdrawal apartment building audience breaking and entering bum gun held to head drug addiction More Keywords » |
Directors (1) | Credit |
---|---|
Scott Kalvert | ... |
Writers (2) | Credit |
---|---|
Bryan Goluboff | (screenplay) |
Jim Carroll | (novel) |
Composers (1) | Credit |
---|---|
Graeme Revell | ... |
Editors (1) | Credit |
---|---|
Dana Congdon | ... |
Cinematographers (1) | Credit |
---|---|
David Phillips | (director of photography) |
Actors (39) | Credit |
---|---|
Akiko Ashley | Stripper |
Alexander Chaplin | Bobo (as Alexander Gaberman) |
Alex Ballar | Basketball Player (uncredited) |
Barton Heyman | Confessional Priest |
Ben Jorgensen | Tommy |
Brian Ferrari | St. Vitus Student (uncredited) |
Brittany Daniel | Blinkie |
Bruno Kirby | Swifty |
Cynthia Daniel | Winkie |
Doc Dougherty | Policeman |
Eric Betts | Drug Dealer #1 |
Ernie Hudson | Reggie |
Gary Iorio | Policeman |
Gus Scharr | Priest (uncredited) |
James Madio | Pedro |
Jim Carroll | Frankie Pinewater (as James Dennis Carroll) |
Jimmy Papiris | Iggy |
John C. Vennema | Mr. Rubin (as John Vennema) |
John Hoyt | Billy the Bartender |
Josh Mostel | Counterman |
Joyce R. Korbin | Mugging Victim |
Juliette Lewis | Diane Moody |
Lawrence Barth | Referee #2 |
Leonardo DiCaprio | Jim Carroll |
Lorraine Bracco | Jim's Mother |
Manny Alfaro | Manny |
Manny Siverio | Pino |
Marilyn Sokol | Chanting Woman |
Mark Wahlberg | Mickey |
Mary Ann Hannon | Head Nurse (uncredited) |
Michael Imperioli | Bobby |
Michael Rapaport | Skinhead |
Nick Gaetani | Referee #1 |
Patrick McGaw | Neutron |
Roy Cooper | Father McNulty |
Toby Huss | Kenny |
Tom Fitzpatrick | The 'John' in the Subway (uncredited) |
Vincent Pastore | Construction Worker (as Vinnie Pastore) |
William Webb | JuJu Johnson |