Howl | Rotten Tomatoes (original) (raw)

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Critics Consensus

James Franco gives it his all as beat poet Allen Ginsberg, but Howl never develops enough of a focus to do his performance justice.

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Jennie Yabroff Newsweek Great art transcends its creator. In this case, it also lays the foundation for a great film. Feb 7, 2018 Full Review Roger Moore Tribune News Service Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman attracted Hollywood talent, had an epic poem and a classic culture clash as their subject and still produced a corpse from it. Rated: 1.5/4 Jan 15, 2013 Full Review Jim Schembri The Age (Australia) It is the trial itself - which Ginsberg did not attend - that is the real payoff here as Howl's defenders and detractors get their day in court. Rated: 3/5 Mar 12, 2011 Full Review David Sugarman CineVue Howl basically plays like a decent Sunday-afternoon TV docudrama. It may be considered by some to be art, but I imagine few will consider it to be cinema. Rated: 2/5 Mar 22, 2021 Full Review David Lamble Bay Area Reporter Epstein and Friedman utilize fact, fiction and animation tropes to explain how a seven-page poem would launch a counterculture, or what some have labeled an ongoing culture war. Jun 10, 2020 Full Review Felicia Feaster Charleston City Paper But for students of Ginsberg, American history, and the Beats, Howl is probably essential viewing. Jan 22, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Rose C While the poem Howl itself could certainly lay the foundations for a great epic, this film was not one. It felt strangely bland and sanitized, rather passionless, which contradicts what the poem is in essence. It would make a decent informative documentary to show in a literature class, and I feel that Ginsberg deserves more than that. Two stars: one for the excellent topic, and one for the effort. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/24/23 Full Review Audience Member This is one of my all time favorite films. It's very artsy, inspiring and crudely entertaining at times. Also, this is a must watch if you love poetry or writing <3 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member I went with 2 stars for this movie, I only seen it once. Idk if I would watch it again the animation throughout the movie was distracting to me throughout the movie. I liked the parts of his private life/poetry readings. The courtroom part was interesting I do believe that a person with little to no interest in poems/poetry the author and his work will really get this movie or hold their interest. The movie though slow and at times boring you can keep interest throughout. I think that James Franco did a good job in this role, it was also interesting to me to learn more about the poem Howl and who the poet himself was, 2 stars. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member great film . enough said Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/20/19 Full Review Audience Member I didn't like the animated segments and Franco's performance is a little iffy to me (that voice!), but there is real beauty here, too. I've always thought a lot of the Beat writing (maybe especially Howl) boils down to a buncha dudes trying to fuck Neal Cassady, but I actually cried at the Holy Holy Holy bit at the end. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Oh Victory, forget your underwear, we are free Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Synopsis Poet and cultural icon Allen Ginsberg (James Franco) is living in San Francisco in the mid '50s with friends and fellow writers Jack Kerouac (Todd Rotondi) and Neal Cassady (Jon Prescott) when he conceives "Howl," a poem that is credited with popularizing the Beat movement. When bookstore owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti (Andrew Rogers) publishes the poem, he is put on trial for obscenity. The film includes animated portions depicting interpretations of the poem itself.

Director

Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman

Producer

Elizabeth Redleaf, Christine K. Walker, Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman

Screenwriter

Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman

Distributor

Oscilloscope Pictures

Production Co

Telling Pictures, RabbitBandini Productions

Rating

R (Some Drug Material|Sexual Language|Sexual Images|Strong Sexual Content)

Genre

Drama, Biography

Original Language

English

Release Date (Theaters)

Sep 24, 2010, Limited

Release Date (Streaming)

Nov 19, 2016

Box Office (Gross USA)

$617.3K

Runtime

1h 24m