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 — all of these begin to encroach on young Jim’s dream of becoming a basketball star. Soon, the dark streets of New York become a refuge from his mother’s mounting concern for her son. He can’t go home and his only escape from the reality of the streets is heroin for which he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. Only with the help of Reggie, an older neighborhood friend with whom Jim “picked up a game” now and then, is he able to begin the long journey back to sanity.

The Basketball Diaries (1995)
  • Rating: (38,288 votes)
  • Taglines:The true story of the death of innocence and the birth of an artist » Every punk on the block says it's not going to happen to them... but it does. »
  • Runtime:102 minutes
  • Director: Scott Kalvert
  • Country:USA
  • Actors:
    Jim Carroll
    Leonardo DiCaprio
    Jim's Mother
    Lorraine Bracco
    Chanting Woman
    Marilyn Sokol
    Pedro
    James Madio
    Neutron
    Patrick McGaw
    Mickey
    Mark Wahlberg
    Father McNulty
    Roy Cooper
    Construction Worker (as Vinnie Pastore)
    Vincent Pastore
    Swifty
    Bruno Kirby
    Iggy
    Jimmy Papiris
  • Genres:Biography, Crime, Drama, Sport
  • Producers:
    Chris Blackwell
    executive producer  
    Dan Genetti
    executive producer  
    Liz Heller
    producer  
    Kathie Hersch
    line producer  
    John Bard Manulis
    producer  
  • Plots: 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 -- all of these begin to encroach on young Jim's dream of becoming a basketball star. Soon, the dark streets of New York become a refuge from his mother's mounting concern for her son. He can't go home and his only escape from the reality of the streets is heroin for which he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. Only with the help of Reggie, an older neighborhood friend with whom Jim "picked up a game" now and then, is he able to begin the long journey back to sanity. Written by Mark Fleetwood <mfleetwo@mail.coin.missouri.edu>
The Basketball Diaries
  • User's comment:Very scary and realistic movie. As real as it gets. by bobi1369

    Beings that this was Leonardo's first leading role, he was very impressive as Jim Carroll. The movie also stars Lorraine Bracco, Marc Wahlberg, James Madio and Patrick McGaw as his mother and sidekicks respectfully. As an ex-addict myself, I could relate to his story and everything he went through. The movie was so real it brought up a lot of old memories that I thought I had forgotten. I wish every young person was made to see this movie as it takes the fun and games out of even recreational drug use. Not even the strong survive. I give it two thumbs way up and my sincere thanks to Jim Carroll for fighting off his demons to write "The Baasketball Diaries".


  • Quotes: Jim: And in the next life, father, I'M gonna have the PADDLE. Jim: You gotta have presence on the court. Presence like a cheetah rather than a chimp. Sure, they both got it, but Chimpy gotta jump his nuts around to get it. The shy cheetah moves with total nonchalance, stickin' it to them in his sexy, slow strut. Me? I play like a cheetah. Jim: Gee whiz, ma, we oughtta have these heart to heart talks more often, they're good for us.
  • Also known as: Basketball Diaries (France), Diário de um Adolescente (Brazil), Diario de un rebelde (Spain), Egy kosaras naplója (Hungary), Günlük (Turkey - Turkish title), Grito de Revolta (Portugal), Jim Carroll - In den Straßen von New York (Germany), Kosarkarjev dnevnik (Slovenia), Netter i New York (Norway - video title), New Yorkin kadut (Finland), På driven i New York (Sweden), Przetrwac w Nowym Jorku (Poland), Ritorno dal nulla (Italy), Streets of New York (International - video title, English title), Streets of New York - The Basketball Diaries (Sweden - video title), The Streets of New York (Denmark), To telos tis athootitas (Greece - transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title), Yoman Neurim (Israel - Hebrew title),

What do you think of this movie? Leave a comment.