The Basketball Diaries - Scott Kalvert (1995)

The Basketball Diaries
From Scott Kalvert

Quote :

Film adaptation of street tough Jim Carroll's epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction. As a member of a seemingly unbeatable high school basketball squad, Jim's life centers around the basketball court and the court becomes a metaphor for the world in his mind. A best friend who is dying of leukemia, a coach ("Swifty") who takes unacceptable liberties with the boys on his team, teenage sexual angst, and an unhealthy appetite for heroin

Much better than I expected
Ok let's be clear: it is another "drugs are bad" movie where they all are lost and where life sucks big time
But if you look a bit further than the moralist aspect, you get taken by the story which is quite intense and start to really appreciate it. Especially because the performance of Leonardo DiCaprio is simply astonishing. The best performance I have seen from him to date. I'm generally not a big fan, he mostly irritates me (except maybe in What's Eating Gilbert Grape). But here he is really good. I also liked some of the filming which creates a even more sick feeling when things get "even" worse. A classic must see highway to hell
Furthermore, this movie made me want to discover the work of Jim Carroll and maybe try to find some of his writings

It´s actually the one and only movie in wich I can appreciate the acting skills of Leonardo DiCaprio!!!

8/10!!!

What?! You didn't like him in Titanic?!


Anyway: Basketball Diaries is alright I guess...I'm not so much into the genre as a whole, so my rating isn't as subjective as it should be, but here it is: 6.5/10