Basquiat

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Basquiat

R,

1996,

1h 48m,

Biography

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Watchlist

67%

30 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Despite living a life of extreme poverty in Brooklyn, graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (Jeffrey Wright) strives to rise up through the heady New York art scene of the 1970s and 1980s. He becomes the brightest star of neo-Expressionist painting and one of the most successful painters of his time, and even develops a friendship with Andy Warhol (David Bowie). But Basquiat's tumultuous life, specifically his addiction to heroin, overshadows his rise to fame, threatening all.

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Critics Consensus

With affected strokes, Basquiat paints an expressionist portrait of a misfit artist, masterfully rendered by a riveting Jeffrey Wright.

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Derek Smith

Slant Magazine

Apr 25, 2025

It’s in the quieter, more character-based scenes that the film at least begins to penetrate Basquiat’s mystique, homing in on his vulnerability, sense of wonder, and how he sees the world around him.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Mar 31, 2010

There isn't a boring shot anywhere, and writer-director Schnabel is clearly enjoying himself as he plays with expressionist sound, neo-Eisensteinian edits, and all sorts of other filmic ideas.

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Sep 16, 2004

4/5

Wright is brilliant.

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Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

Jul 5, 2025

6/10

[Basquiat] is most definitely a Julian Schnabel film and also a portrait of someone who may or may not be similar in character and manner to the painter Jean-Michel Basquiat.

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Michael Musto

The Advocate

Jun 7, 2022

Despite all the loving care, there's a slight lack of power in the presentation, which is surprisingly straightforward, except for some heavy-handed attempts at lyricism.

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David Reddish

Queerty

Mar 20, 2022

4/4

Basquiat pulls back the veil on a man gifted with artistic genius, and the inherent insecurity that talent brings. If a genius brain burns white-hot, how can said genius ever not get burned?

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Rey G

Apr 27, 2018

One of my favorite movies and Jeffrey Wright is amazing in this.

Han S

Sep 6, 2017

Wednesday night movie... I like Basquiat's work ....A lot of big stars in the movie including Bowie, Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Benicio Del Toro ....

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Han M

May 25, 2017

Hate to burst any of your pretentious bubbles, but Basquiat was a no-talent junkie whose "art" was nothing more that drug-induced grafitti, like particularly childish vandalism. Andy Warhol was another such dull, overrated hack on the 1970s and 80s New York "art scene," glorified by adoring and equally-untalented groupies with more money and drugs than brains. Granted, Warhol acquired a few actual mundane pre-press production skills in his short life, while Basquiat remained what he always was: an unskilled, uninspired maker of messes. Surprisingly, this biopic portrays Basquiat and Warhol as they actually were: Vacant, vacuous, and void. Which makes for a particularly shallow flick that does not glorify the "legends" so much as throws them under the bus.

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Han R

Feb 19, 2017

Intriguing and stylish but ultimately it's too sad to be enjoyable. I would have appreciated a closer look at his artwork. Best bits are when David Bowie is on screen playing Andy Warhol quite brilliantly.

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Harry W

Sep 3, 2015

A compelling and almost psychedelic story of an iconic artist's rise and fall that fittingly is a work of art itself.

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Julian Schnabel

Director

Jeffrey Wright

Jean Michel Basquiat

Michael Wincott

Rene Ricard

Benicio del Toro

Benny Dalmau

Claire Forlani

Gina Cardinale

David Bowie

Andy Warhol

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Synopsis

Despite living a life of extreme poverty in Brooklyn, graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (Jeffrey Wright) strives to rise up through the heady New York art scene of the 1970s and 1980s. He becomes the brightest star of neo-Expressionist painting and one of the most successful painters of his time, and even develops a friendship with Andy Warhol (David Bowie). But Basquiat's tumultuous life, specifically his addiction to heroin, overshadows his rise to fame, threatening all.

Director: Julian Schnabel
Producer: Jon Kilik, Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Randy Ostrow
Screenwriter: Julian Schnabel, Lech Majewski, John F. Bowe
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax Films, Eleventh Street Production, Jon Kilik
Rating: R (Strong Language|Drug Use)
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 1996, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 20, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.4K
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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