Basquiat

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Basquiat

R

1996

1h 48m

Biography

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Tomatometer

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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mark G

@Mark_Alan_G. Aug 7, 2026

A brilliant film about one of America's greatest artists. Incredible casting, each member delivering an incredible performance. How anyone familiar with pop art and New York art scene of the '80s could not love this is beyond me.

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Dani G

@RT81139271 Aug 25, 2025

Some raw directing, raw screenwriting, raw editing, and mostly raw acting... But I think it's ok

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Jeremiah C.

@Jeremiah_Cobra Aug 16, 2025

I don’t know whether to hate this movie for its perpetuation of a no-talent hack of neo-expressionist garbage or love it for accurately depicting the art world’s exploitation of “the true voice of the gutter” done by the nonsensical scribblings of a heroin-addicted homeless person. Given its lack of a plot or any likes or characters, I’ll keep my score at the lower end of the spectrum. It gets points for authenticity and for giving Wright an opportunity for a breakthrough performance—even though I personally found the material they gave him middling to say the least.

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Michael K

@RT03630580 May 5, 2025

Jean-Michel Basquiat offers viewers an insight into a brief life within the art world. This film marks Julian Schnabel’s directorial debut, Julian is a painter and filmmaker who was a friend of Basquiat's. The character Sean, who sometimes appears mute, is a young man of African and Haitian descent who was both a musician and a painter. The film has a smooth flow. If every famous actor in this movie gave me a nickel, I would have a pocket full of them. The impressive cast alone is a reason to watch this remarkable film. Ultimately, the film itself becomes a work of art.

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Oaklee D

@ODie63 Jan 22, 2025

A tasteful and well made biopic on one of the artworlds big stars.

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Julian S

@akajulianscott Nov 18, 2024

The cast is stellar, but the film ends abruptly, almost as if Schnabel ran out of steam.

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Julian Schnabel

Director

Jeffrey Wright

Jean Michel Basquiat

Michael Wincott

Rene Ricard

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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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