Becoming Cousteau

Play trailer

2:19

Becoming Cousteau

PG-13,

2021,

1h 33m,

Documentary/

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Becoming Cousteau: Trailer 1

Now Playing

View more videos

Watchlist

98%

61 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

50+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

61 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Adventurer, filmmaker, inventor, author, unlikely celebrity and conservationist: For over four decades, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his explorations under the ocean became synonymous with a love of science and the natural world. As he learned to protect the environment, he brought the whole world with him, sounding alarms more than 50 years ago about the warming seas and our planet's vulnerability. In BECOMING COUSTEAU, from National Geographic Documentary Films, two-time Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker LIZ GARBUS takes an inside look at Cousteau and his life, his iconic films and inventions, and the experiences that made him the 20th century's most unique and renowned environmental voice -- and the man who inspired generations to protect the Earth.

Critics Consensus

As visually thrilling as it is edifying, Becoming Cousteau pays fitting tribute to a pioneering explorer and environmental advocate.

Read Critics Reviews

Phil Hoad

Guardian

Nov 10, 2021

3/5

Becoming Cousteau is no hagiography, but greater distance might have also allowed Garbus to reflect more on the man's environmental legacy.

Go to Full Review

Marina Ashioti

Little White Lies

Nov 9, 2021

3/5

A nuanced portrait of an oceanographer whose warnings are more prescient than ever.

Go to Full Review

David Stratton

The Australian

Oct 30, 2021

3.5/5

He appears to have been a remarkable man, and Becoming Costeau, this detailed portrait of him, does him full justice.

Go to Full Review

Caroline Frost

Radio Times

Apr 9, 2026

4/5

Never mind dry lectures on sustainability, just show this film, with its gorgeous and ground-breaking marine footage, over and over again in schools.

Go to Full Review

Mark R. Leeper

Mark Leeper's Reviews

Sep 16, 2022

6/10

BECOMING COUSTEAU is a biography of Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Caveat: The subtitles for French-speakers are very badly done, with white-on-white making them hard to read.

Go to Full Review

Erick Estrada

Cinegarage

Jun 30, 2022

A "simple" account of [Cousteau's] life and work... that brings forth the weighty and uncomfortable central idea: Was Cousteau the first marine environmentalist of consequence? [Full review in Spanish]

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Liz Garbus

Director

Vincent Cassel

Narrator

Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Self

Mark Monroe

Writer

Pax Wassermann

Writer

Mridu Chandra

Producer

Wild Life

91%

73%

Wild Life

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Wild Life

The Dissident

96%

82%

The Dissident

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Dissident

Explorer

100%

67%

Explorer

Watchlist

The Alpinist

93%

97%

The Alpinist

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Alpinist

Fauci

86%

2%

Fauci

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Becoming Cousteau: Trailer 1

2:19

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Adventurer, filmmaker, inventor, author, unlikely celebrity and conservationist: For over four decades, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his explorations under the ocean became synonymous with a love of science and the natural world. As he learned to protect the environment, he brought the whole world with him, sounding alarms more than 50 years ago about the warming seas and our planet's vulnerability. In BECOMING COUSTEAU, from National Geographic Documentary Films, two-time Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker LIZ GARBUS takes an inside look at Cousteau and his life, his iconic films and inventions, and the experiences that made him the 20th century's most unique and renowned environmental voice -- and the man who inspired generations to protect the Earth.

Director: Liz Garbus
Producer: Mridu Chandra, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Evan Hayes
Screenwriter: Mark Monroe, Pax Wassermann, Mark Monroe, Pax Wassermann
Distributor: Picturehouse
Production Co: National Geographic Documentary Films, National Geographic, Story Syndicate, ACE Content
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language|Some Disturbing Images|Smoking)
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 22, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 24, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $230.5K
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings