The Basketball Diaries
“The true story of the death of innocence and the birth of an artist.”
Synopsis
A high school basketball player’s life turns upside down after free-falling into the harrowing world of drug addiction.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-12-22
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Leonardo DiCaprio
Jim Carroll
Bruno Kirby
Swifty
Lorraine Bracco
Jim's Mother
Ernie Hudson
Reggie
Patrick McGaw
Neutron
James Madio
Pedro
Mark Wahlberg
Mickey
Barton Heyman
Confessional Priest
Roy Cooper
Father McNulty
Michael Imperioli
Bobby
Juliette Lewis
Diane Moody
Manny Alfaro
Manny
Toby Huss
Kenny
Cynthia Daniel
Winkie
Brittany Daniel
Blinkie
Michael Rapaport
Skinhead
Josh Mostel
Counterman
Marilyn Sokol
Chanting Woman
Release History & Theatrical Window
Sundance Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
April 21, 1995
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 21, 1995
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.19x
+$381K net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Scott Kalvert
- Screenplay & Story
- Bryan Goluboff
- Original Score
- Graeme Revell
- Original Title
- The Basketball Diaries
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 42m
- Production Budget
- $2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.4M
- Production Studios
- Island Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Scott Kalvert
Bryan Goluboff, Jim Carroll
Graeme Revell
David Phillips
Dana Congdon
Liz Heller, John Bard Manulis, Chris Blackwell, Dan Genetti
Department Leadership Roster
Liz Heller
Producer
Bryan Goluboff
Screenplay
David Phillips
Director of Photography
John Bard Manulis
Producer
Scott Kalvert
Director
Graeme Revell
Original Music Composer
Dana Congdon
Editor
Christopher Nowak
Production Design
David C. Robinson
Costume Design
Edgard Mourino
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Basketball Diaries.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Basketball Diaries.
MOVIES
My Movies
Master List In Progress
maram
Limelight Seen
Favorite Actors
***Dramă***
Similar Titles to The Basketball Diaries
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.8
6.9
7.2
8.2
7.4
6.1
7.4
5.9
7.1
7.9
4.9
7.7
7.1
7.5
5.2
6.5
8.4
7.5
7.6
More Like The Basketball Diaries
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Basketball Diaries
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Basketball Diaries about?
A high school basketball player’s life turns upside down after free-falling into the harrowing world of drug addiction.
Who directed The Basketball Diaries?
The Basketball Diaries was directed by Scott Kalvert.
Who stars in The Basketball Diaries?
The principal cast of The Basketball Diaries includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruno Kirby, Lorraine Bracco, Ernie Hudson, Patrick McGaw.
When was The Basketball Diaries released and how long is it?
The Basketball Diaries was released in 1995 with a total runtime of 1h 42m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Basketball Diaries?
The Basketball Diaries had a reported production budget of $2M and grossed $2.4M at the worldwide box office (1.19 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for The Basketball Diaries?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Basketball Diaries was composed by Graeme Revell.
Is The Basketball Diaries based on a book or true story?
The Basketball Diaries is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Jim Carroll".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Basketball Diaries?
The Basketball Diaries holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).