The Basketball Diaries
1995 · 102 min · Director: Scott Kalvert
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
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.
Emotional fingerprint
The Basketball Diaries (1995) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Sadness 35%, Disturbing 25%, Empathy 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Sadness35%
- Disturbing25%
- Empathy20%
- Anxiety10%
- Inspiration10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Sadness, Disturbing, Empathy. Genres: Drama, Crime, Biography. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Sadness, Disturbing and Empathy. Its IMDb rating of 7.3/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 74/100.
How did it make you feel?
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Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Sadness
- Disturbing
- Tension
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Disturbing
Dominant emotion: Hope
Dominant emotion: Humor
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Sadness | Disturbing | Tension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Disturbing | 47 % | 12 % | 30 % | 27 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 8′ | Hope | 50 % | 6 % | 20 % | 24 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 13′ | Humor | 51 % | 9 % | 20 % | 26 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 18′ | Sadness | 48 % | 21 % | 24 % | 31 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 23′ | Hope | 49 % | 23 % | 20 % | 38 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 28′ | Tension | 57 % | 28 % | 24 % | 41 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 33′ | Sadness | 64 % | 49 % | 39 % | 35 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 38′ | Sadness | 65 % | 56 % | 49 % | 38 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 43′ | Sadness | 65 % | 45 % | 51 % | 51 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 48′ | Disturbing | 63 % | 35 % | 50 % | 55 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 54′ | Sadness | 61 % | 40 % | 45 % | 54 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 59′ | Tension | 64 % | 51 % | 46 % | 54 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 64′ | Sadness | 68 % | 51 % | 53 % | 56 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 69′ | Tension | 73 % | 46 % | 59 % | 65 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 74′ | Disturbing | 75 % | 52 % | 63 % | 65 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 79′ | Sadness | 75 % | 64 % | 59 % | 56 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 84′ | Sadness | 78 % | 65 % | 61 % | 59 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 89′ | Disturbing | 85 % | 68 % | 74 % | 74 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 94′ | Sadness | 80 % | 69 % | 65 % | 65 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 99′ | Sadness | 63 % | 58 % | 42 % | 37 % |
Riches to rags
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Kadri — your film companion
AIAsk anything about The Basketball Diaries. From the film’s own dialogue and FeelDB data, at your spoiler level.
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
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Cast
Neutron
Father McNulty
Manny
Winkie
Bobo
Tommy
Details
- Directed by
- Scott Kalvert
- Written by
- Jim Carroll, Bryan Goluboff
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 1995
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Country
- United States
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Sadness
- Data updated
Where to watch
Feels similar
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