Absolute Beginners

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Absolute Beginners

PG-13,

1986,

1h 47m,

Musical/

Romance

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Watchlist

73%

11 Reviews

Tomatometer

38%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Colin (Eddie O'Connell), an aspiring young British photographer and jazz aficionado, falls for the beautiful Crepe Suzette (Patsy Kensit), a model on the rise. When she leaves him to pursue her dreams of fame, Colin lands under the wing of Vendice Partners (David Bowie), a suave advertising executive, and begins his own climb toward success. As Colin and Suzette get caught up in the promotion of youth culture, they brush up against the era's social issues, including racism.

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Dec 24, 2025

3/5

…Absolute Beginners isn’t a great film, even as a period/museum piece, but in 2025, it’s quite an entertaining watch for ironists….putting David Bowie front and centre of the film’s advertising was a bait and switch scam that backfired dramatically…

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Jul 24, 2023

C

A lively but stinker of a film that features to no avail one of David Bowie's better songs called Absolute Beginnings.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 24, 2023

2/4

“Absolute Beginners” ranks as one of David Bowie’s greatest songs, and it’s just a shame the movie of the same name doesn’t come close to matching its glory.

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Pat Padua

Spectrum Culture

Aug 31, 2018

A spectacular failure.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Jul 29, 2007

B

Though the film is flawed, it's still underrated as an exploration of a crucial era of London's pop culture, and the eccentric cast (including David Bowie) adds a lot of color.

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Oct 10, 2005

3/5

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Julien Temple

Director

Eddie O'Connell

Colin, Photographer

Patsy Kensit-Healy

Suzette

David Bowie

Vendice Partners

James Fox

Henley of Mayfair, Dressmaker to the Queen

Ray Davies

Arthur, Colin's Dad

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Synopsis

Colin (Eddie O'Connell), an aspiring young British photographer and jazz aficionado, falls for the beautiful Crepe Suzette (Patsy Kensit), a model on the rise. When she leaves him to pursue her dreams of fame, Colin lands under the wing of Vendice Partners (David Bowie), a suave advertising executive, and begins his own climb toward success. As Colin and Suzette get caught up in the promotion of youth culture, they brush up against the era's social issues, including racism.

Director: Julien Temple
Producer: Chris Brown, Stephen Woolley
Screenwriter: Richard Burridge, Terry Johnson, Colin MacInnes, Don MacPherson
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Home Box Office (HBO) [us]
Production Co: Goldcrest Films International
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Musical, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 18, 1986, Original
Release Date (DVD): Apr 15, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA): $278.9K
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Surround
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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