Perfect cast and a good story

A Major Disappointment

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I was 15 when I first saw this film and I think that I watched it at the perfect time in my life, I was able to relate to a lot of the emotions the characters were feeling at this turbulent time in a teenagers life. Leonardo Dicaprio's acting in this is some of his best and he captures brilliantly the painful descent into drug addiction.There is lots of swearing and violence is also common place: two groups of boys get into a fight, the main character has a dream in which he strides into school with a shotgun and shoots his classmate and teacher, an old woman is mugged and then attacked by two main characters, a character is threatened violently by a bigger man, a man falls off a roof and onto a car below (he dies).Drug use is, obviously, also common: characters smoke cigarettes and weed, they snort cocaine, take a wide variety of pills and inject themselves with heroine (the actual injection isn't shown on screen but we see the tourniquet, the needle, the drug, and the scars on a characters arm).Sex is also present: there is a scene with a scantily clad stripper, two characters kiss passionately, there is a sex scene off screen and we see the two characters half-dressed in bed afterwards. Prostitution is another theme with many people often offering the main character money for sex, including a male teacher. There is only one scene where prostitution actually takes place however it is harrowing, nothing is explicit but we see money exchanging hands before the older gentlemen gets on his knees and the main character unzips his trousers.Ultimately this film is a warning and so nothing is held back (including a disturbing scene in which a character goes through excruciating withdrawal), its the kind of film that when its over it stays with you. It's become one of my firm favourites.

Catholic schoolboy Jim Carroll (Leonardo DiCaprio) lives with his mother (Lorraine Bracco). He's the brash leader of his friends Pedro (James Madio), Neutron (Patrick McGaw) and Mickey (Mark Wahlberg) sniffing glue and causing trouble. They play winning basketball for their lecherous coach Swifty (Bruno Kirby). His best friend Bobby (Michael Imperioli) is dying of leukemia. He plays neighborhood ball with Reggie (Ernie Hudson). He starts to do cocaine and then heroin which sends him down a very dark road.The movie seems to take place in both the present day and somewhere in the 60s. That conflicted feel along with the poetic diary entries create a surreal dreamlike vibe. It takes the tension out of the movie and limits the immediacy. Leo and everybody do a good job. Leo's star power shines and keeps the movie interesting. However, I just don't feel a sense of danger from this dark coming-of-age movie.

Now this movie- oh boy, it's a toughie. If you haven't seen this movie yet, see it AS SOON AS YOU CAN. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance as Jim Carroll is spot on. It seems that he really has an addiction to cocaine and heroin. Yes, he was trained by a coach to study the physical and mental side effects of drugs, but other than that he was a- mazing. Mark Wahlberg was okay, too, I guess. But he was actually addicted to cocaine when he was a teen, so it was easier for him. You think Trainspotters is good? Check this out! It will definitely make you think twice about drug and alcohol abuse, trust me. If you struggled with drugs in previous years, you'll fully understand this plot. Although it isn't 100% accurate to the book, I think Mr Kalvert did a good job. So watch this movie ASAP. If you dislike DiCaprio, this will change your thoughts.

The Basketball Diaries is the movie that showed exactly how much acting potential Leonardo DiCaprio has.The good. Gripping sad story. Extreme realism and superb acting, you really get into their shoes, very immersive. You get to understand their story, their situation. Tight well executed scenes. Nice camera work. Solid score.The actors. Not only does Leonardo DiCaprio shine like a true star, but Mark Wahlberg also shows his talent. The rest of the cast is almost as impeccable.The bad. The end scene on the stage is badly staged. No pun intended. It's a bit awkward, but it's easily forgivable.The ugly. It pictures drugs as a social disease whereas their use is actually a symptom of an underlying problem. But then, everybody thinks that, because that's the official story.The result. It's a forbidding tale, but everyone should watch it and understand.