The Basketball Diaries (film)

The Basketball Diaries
Theatrical release poster
Directed byScott Kalvert
Screenplay byBryan Goluboff
Based onThe Basketball Diaries
by Jim Carroll
Produced byLiz Heller
John Bard Manulis
Starring
CinematographyDavid Phillips
Edited byDana Congdon
Music byGraeme Revell
Production
company
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release dates
  • January 27, 1995 (1995-01-27) (Sundance)
  • April 21, 1995 (1995-04-21) (United States)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.4 million

The Basketball Diaries is a 1995 American biographical crime drama film. The movie deals with drug addiction and its unfavorable outcome in lives of common people. Directed by Scott Kalvert in his feature directorial debut and based on an autobiographical novel by the same name written by Jim Carroll. It tells the story of Carroll's teenage years as a promising high school basketball player and writer who develops an addiction to heroin. Distributed by New Line Cinema, The Basketball Diaries stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Carroll, along with Bruno KirbyLorraine Bracco, Ernie Hudson, Patrick McGawJames Madio, Michael Imperioli, and Mark Wahlberg in supporting roles.

The Basketball Diaries premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 1995. The film was widely released in theaters on April 21, 1995, to mixed reviews and grossed $2.4 million at the box office.