[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Beat

  • 2000
  • R
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
Beat (2000)
Drama

Two murders that shaped the lives of several college students who went on to become some of the most influential writers of the Beat Generation.Two murders that shaped the lives of several college students who went on to become some of the most influential writers of the Beat Generation.Two murders that shaped the lives of several college students who went on to become some of the most influential writers of the Beat Generation.

  • Director
    • Gary Walkow
  • Writer
    • Gary Walkow
  • Stars
    • Courtney Love
    • Kiefer Sutherland
    • Lisa Sheridan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.5/10
    1.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Gary Walkow
    • Writer
      • Gary Walkow
    • Stars
      • Courtney Love
      • Kiefer Sutherland
      • Lisa Sheridan
    • 31User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Beat
    Trailer 1:42
    Beat

    Photos17

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 11
    View Poster

    Top cast21

    Edit
    Courtney Love
    Courtney Love
    • Joan Vollmer Burroughs
    Kiefer Sutherland
    Kiefer Sutherland
    • William S. Burroughs
    Lisa Sheridan
    Lisa Sheridan
    • Sadie
    Patricia Llaca
    • Mary
    • (as Patricia De Llaca)
    Steve Hedden
    • Pharmacist
    Ron Livingston
    Ron Livingston
    • Allen Ginsberg
    Norman Reedus
    Norman Reedus
    • Lucien Carr
    Daniel Martínez
    Daniel Martínez
    • Jack Kerouac
    Kyle Secor
    Kyle Secor
    • Dave Kammerer
    Pedro Gonzalez
    • Knife Sharpener
    Georgiana Sîrbu
    • Julie
    Rene Rubio
    • Bill Jr.
    Sam Trammell
    Sam Trammell
    • Lee
    Alec Von Bargen
    Alec Von Bargen
    • Heard
    Tommy Perna
    Tommy Perna
    • Dwight
    Luis Felipe Tovar
    Luis Felipe Tovar
    • Federale Sergeant
    Khotan Fernandez
    Khotan Fernandez
    • Federale Officer
    • (as Kothan)
    Serafina De Lorca
    • Woman at Angahuan
    • Director
      • Gary Walkow
    • Writer
      • Gary Walkow
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews31

    5.51.6K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8AndytheDirector

    The best minds he was talking about

    A great find for anyone who finds themselves enjoying the Beat Generation literature, this is the story of one of the most tragic and pivotal points in their story, the death of Joan Burroughs.

    Lucien Carr and Allen Ginsberg, on the eve of their skyrocket to fame, take a trip to Mexico City and visit Joan and William S. Burroughs. Burroughs has excused himself to Guatemala with a boyfriend, so Joan and the two old friends hit the road, reflecting on Lucien's time in jail, unrequited love, Bill's adultery, and the entire meaning of what exactly Kerouac was romanticizing. If you aren't drawn to the Beats and their story, you may want to stray away. However, if you want a sort of proto-"On the Road" mixed with the true story of the events preceding this pivotal moment in Beat history, you will enjoy this film.
    7KMW2000

    I love you like a hole in the head

    I wasn't expecting much (truth be told) but was quite pleasantly surprised. As much as history equates to fiction (and from what I've heard/read this movie must be taken as a work of near-fiction.. "sources" being what they are..) this story still made for a pretty good motion picture. Courtney Love is a very good actress, and not many parts is she better suited to than that of Joan Burroughs. I liked her performance. Keifer Sutherland also made a pretty convincing Bill. The guy that played Lucien Carr (Norman Reedus?) was also impressive.

    As "interpretive" as the story was I didn't resent it as much as I thought I might. I imagine William Burroughs, were he still in the land of the living, might have had a few issues with this film but hey, movies always without fail in-one-way-or-another romanticize the truth (truth, truth.. mmmm.. ponder it) and the movie DID do that.. but not as grotesquely as it could've and for that, if nothing else, I liked it. Well-observed (in a secondary, nobody-here-was-actually-there, speculative kind of way) the story still flowed (aided by the, in my opinion, very good performances.) Keifer made William Burroughs seem to have emotions, and strong ones at that, which was interesting.. as you never really picture him like that. (Going by the tone of his spoken-word recordings maybe? the dour face? the slightly contemptible countenance? I don't know.. you just never think of him as the howl-at-the-moon type.. I think Keifer's attempt at humanizing him was quite admirable really.)

    The script wasn't bad (could've been MUCH worse.. riddled with beatnik cliches..) there were no real cringe-worthy moments (no-one said anything to the effect of "are you hip to all that jazz" etc etc.. which was a relief.) I liked the movie overall. It's no major statement, and you'd do infinitely better to read some of the great biographies out there if you want an overview of the tale and the beats in general, but the movie is a harmless, and quite enjoyable, footnote.

    I liked the quotes at the end (their attempt at a summery i suppose..) especially the gorgeous quote from Lucien Carr. Oh yes and Ron Livingston was also in fine form as poor old lovelorn Allen Ginsberg.
    6PaulLondon

    Hey daddio

    Although not a patch on Cronenberg's wild and fabulous "Naked Lunch" this is a pretty solid look at the year prior to Joan Burroughs death (an incident which was also the catalyst for Naked Lunch") Certainly, this is preferable to the boring "The Last Time I Committed Suicide". The director/writer mostly avoids the clichés of the "hey your so square daddio" type to concentrate on the less celebrated 'minor character' of Joan Burroughs as played by Courtney Love. Love captures dichotomy of being a strong woman trapped in a man's world well and there is a beautifully haunted quality to her performance as she goes from good time beat girl to wife of drug addicted Burroughs. keifer Sutherland as Burroughs is not great casting though; he does a good imitation of the voice but doesn't project the same charisma as Peter Weller did in the same role. And this could be the films failing- why is Joan attracted to him? The film shows none of the genius of the man nor any reason why she would tolerate his coldness, his gayness and his drug abuse whilst she is left at home with the kids and thoughts of a love affair that could have been. Still a fairly enjoyable, if minor film
    Infofreak

    Dull Fingers Talk!

    Look I think William Burroughs was one of the most important figures in not only post-War literature, but in pop culture generally. His work and ideas, and those of the other Beats, have had enormous repercussions on all kinds of arts, and have directly or indirectly affected many of our lives whether we know it or not. Burroughs life was almost as fascinating as his work, but you wouldn't know it from watching 'Beat', as it manages to condense some fascinatingly uncliched relationships into a soap-like love triangle.

    I was suprised at the casting of Kiefer Sutherland at first. He isn't an obvious choice to play Burroughs, but he tries hard to humanise him. Unfortunately the thin script doesn't give him much to go on. Likewise Ron Livingston (best known for 'Office Space') does fairly well as Allen Ginsberg, but the script doesn't convince with it's simplistic, almost stereotypical drawing of a complex figure. Lastly, Courtney Love is fine as Burroughs second wife Joan Vollmer, but once again the writing simplifies a multi-layered person into an easy to grasp "character".

    It speaks volumes that Cronenberg's surreal 'Naked Lunch' manages to give a much richer and more convincing depiction of these tragic events than the more "realistic" 'Beat'. Perhaps the only way to really deal with the Beats on screen is to aim closer to the approach of their own poetry and prose. The definitive movie portrayal of Burroughs, Ginsberg and co has yet to made. I hope one does eventuate as it's a story that NEEDS to be told!
    8pomspringz

    Very Slick & Visually Interesting

    The bulk of the film takes place in Mexico City with side-trips to more remote areas. The scenery outside the City is lush and lovely. The interactions among the actors reflect these locales. I found the film extremely watchable, and was fascinated with the performances. All the lead roles are clearly developed. I loved Courtney Love. She is as beautiful as a modern day Anna Magnani and never has a bad scene. Seeing Kiefer Sutherland in something so unlike his "24" role is a delight. Ron Livingston's performance is controlled and finely honed. Norman Reedus presents raw energy. The cinematography is excellent with wondrous scenes of light and color. One can almost smell the tropical foliage. This is decidedly Courtney Love's movie, since she plays Burroughs' tragic wife. The interactions of these characters, based on real-life people during that time period, is a mesmerizing glimpse into lives in emotional turmoil.

    More like this

    Dead Heat - Pari à haut risque
    5.2
    Dead Heat - Pari à haut risque
    Davis Is Dead
    6.9
    Davis Is Dead
    Floating
    6.4
    Floating
    The Beatnicks
    5.3
    The Beatnicks
    I'm Losing You
    5.0
    I'm Losing You
    After Alice
    5.3
    After Alice
    Sand
    4.2
    Sand
    Le temps d'un orage
    6.6
    Le temps d'un orage
    Sous influences
    6.1
    Sous influences
    Preston Tylk
    5.3
    Preston Tylk
    Pour quelques minutes de bonheur
    6.3
    Pour quelques minutes de bonheur
    Until the Night
    5.0
    Until the Night

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The trailer shows scenes not in the final version of the film. These seem to include scenes with Jack Kerouac and others from New York appearing only in brief flashback in the film. As well, a scene of William Burroughs reading a newspaper story to Joan about a fire at a zoo. The phrase "and the hippos were boiled in their tanks" which comes from this story was the title of the unpublished novel by Kerouac and Burroughs about the David Kammerer murder.
    • Quotes

      Joan Vollmer: So, do they have ruins down in Guatemala?

      William S. Burroughs: It's all ruins. Or it all will be, given enough time.

      Joan Vollmer: Ah, just like people.

      William S. Burroughs: Yes. But people decay more promptly than Mayan temples.

    • Connections
      Version of Le Festin nu (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Amor de Juventud
      Music and Lyrics by Ramón Ayala

      Performed by Ramón Ayala

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ17

    • How long is Beat?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 29, 2000 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ритм
    • Filming locations
      • Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • Millenium Pictures
      • Background Productions
      • Beat LLC
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,500,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.