The Boys in the Band
2020 · 122 min · Director: Joe Mantello, Joe Mantello
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
In 1968 New York City - when being gay was still considered to be best kept behind closed doors - a group of friends gather for a raucous birthday party hosted by Michael (Jim Parsons), a screenwriter who spends and drinks too much, in honor of the sharp-dressed and sharp-tongued Harold (Zachary Quinto). Other partygoers include Donald (Matt Bomer), Michael's former flame, now mired in self-analysis; Larry (Andrew Rannells), a randy commercial artist living with Hank (Tuc Watkins), a school teacher who has just left his wife; Bernard (Michael Benjamin Washington), a librarian tiptoeing around fraught codes of friendship alongside Emory (Robin de Jesús), a decorator who never holds back; and a guileless hustler (Charlie Carver) hired to be Harold's gift for the night. What begins as an evening of drinks and laughs gets upended when Alan (Brian Hutchison), Michael's straight-laced college roommate, shows up unexpectedly and each man is challenged to confront long-buried truths that threaten the foundation of the group's tight bond.
Emotional fingerprint
The Boys in the Band (2020) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Humor 25%, Empathy 25%, Sadness 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
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 Humor, Empathy, Sadness. Genres: Drama. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Humor, Empathy and Sadness. Its IMDb rating of 6.8/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 68/100.
How did it make you feel?
Votes are saved to the fingerprint once you’re signed in.
Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Sadness
- Tension
- Empathy
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Humor
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Empathy
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Sadness | Tension | Empathy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Humor | 33 % | 13 % | 18 % | 18 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 9′ | Humor | 39 % | 21 % | 21 % | 25 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 15′ | Sadness | 44 % | 25 % | 26 % | 29 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 21′ | Humor | 45 % | 15 % | 26 % | 21 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 27′ | Humor | 45 % | 9 % | 30 % | 16 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 34′ | Tension | 45 % | 11 % | 36 % | 20 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 40′ | Humor | 50 % | 16 % | 43 % | 26 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 46′ | Tension | 59 % | 28 % | 52 % | 34 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 52′ | Tension | 58 % | 30 % | 46 % | 31 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 58′ | Humor | 54 % | 24 % | 36 % | 27 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 64′ | Tension | 59 % | 32 % | 45 % | 40 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 70′ | Sadness | 61 % | 45 % | 48 % | 53 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 76′ | Empathy | 61 % | 48 % | 45 % | 55 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 82′ | Sadness | 64 % | 45 % | 51 % | 54 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 88′ | Tension | 66 % | 39 % | 58 % | 50 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 95′ | Tension | 71 % | 40 % | 65 % | 49 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 101′ | Tension | 75 % | 53 % | 61 % | 55 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 107′ | Sadness | 69 % | 59 % | 39 % | 58 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 113′ | Sadness | 60 % | 55 % | 23 % | 52 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 119′ | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence |
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Bernard
Emory
Hank
Alan
Young Bohemian
Mover #2
Hotel Manager
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Female Neighbor
Hank's Stranger
Taxi Driver
Details
- Directed by
- Joe Mantello, Joe Mantello
- Written by
- Mart Crowley, Ned Martel
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 2020
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Country
- United States, Canada
- Genres
- Drama
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Humor
- Data updated
Where to watch
Feels similar
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