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CBGB

CBGB

50,000 bands and 1 disgusting bathroom.

2013102 minRMidcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Director
Randall Miller
Starring
Alan Rickman, Rupert Grint, Malin Akerman, Johnny Galecki

A look at New York's dynamic punk rock scene through the lens of the ground-breaking Lower East Side club started by eccentric Hilly Kristal in 1973 which launched thousands of bands.

Where to watch

Where can I watch CBGB?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists CBGB streaming on Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about CBGB?

CBGB earns 5 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is CBGB worth watching?

CBGB's Midcredits score is the 60th percentile of all films, from 23K ratings across 6 sources. 62% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

60th percentile

Better received than 60% of films

62nd percentile among Crime60th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)50th
Approval (how many liked it)68th

62 /100

50th percentile of all films

51st percentile among Crime51st percentile among 2010s

Critics 30 · Audience 64

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

62% liked it

68th percentile of all films

69th percentile among Crime69th percentile among 2010s
62% rated it 7–1038% rated it 1–6

Critics 7% · Audience 43%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

87th percentile

23K ratings across platforms

83rd percentile among Crime87th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$5M
Opening weekend$3.9K
Domestic gross$40K
Worldwide gross$40K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 19th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is an energetic but flawed tribute to the CBGB punk scene, featuring memorable music and Rickman's charismatic center while sacrificing historical precision for entertainment.

Fans praised

  • nostalgic recreation of the CBGB club and era
  • Alan Rickman's performance as Hilly Kristal
  • energetic musical performances and soundtrack

Detractors panned

  • amateurish direction, script, and production values
  • historical inaccuracies and disrespect to the source material
  • flat caricatures and muddled plot

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive80

Great soundtrack and live performances, though lip-syncing criticized

AtmosphereDivisive70

Evokes gritty, grimy downtown NYC punk vibe

ActingDivisive65

Rickman solid as Hilly, but supporting cast uneven and sometimes forced

PacingDivisive55

Sags in the middle, quick montages of performances

Emotional impactDivisive55

Nostalgia and love for the era resonate with fans, less with others

OriginalityDivisive50

Formulaic biopic approach, though subject matter is fresh

Plot and storyDivisive45

Story loses focus in the middle, feels episodic and thin

CharactersDivisive40

Hilly's characterization thin, others reduced to caricatures

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 21 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is CBGB like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmWhimsical · 2% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.
ToneThe film holds its material with a light, affectionate and slightly comic touch, treating the chaotic birth of punk as a warm, quirky underdog story.
The rideThe mood is generally upbeat and nostalgic with occasional wistful moments, maintaining a consistent energy.
StructureThe film follows a conventional beginning-middle-end structure, but its storyline is episodic, jumping from band to band and incident to incident as the club grows.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer feeling inspired by the power of a shared creative space and the unlikely success of a dreamer's gamble.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2% (this title)
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Second chance: A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeHilly, a bankrupt and divorced man, pours everything into a failing bar that becomes a legendary music venue, giving him a new purpose and revitalizing his life.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% (this title) · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% (this title) · Technology 1%

Society

Community · 14% of filmsArt · 4% of filmsFame · 3% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the collective bonds of the punk community and the act of creation, while also touching on the pursuit of public attention.
StanceThe film celebrates the punk community and its artistic energy, presenting the scene with affectionate nostalgia.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
RockPopForeground music · licensed compilation
SettingCBGB nightclub in 1970s New York City
MusicFeatures performances from iconic punk and new wave acts of the era.

Content guide

Is CBGB okay for kids?

R

CBGB is rated R: “Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, drug use, and a scene of violence” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at moderate (56/100), language at moderate (56/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (60/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany16
  • Brazil16
  • GreeceΚ-18
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 67%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (32 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does CBGB have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in CBGB?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Alan Rickman
as Hilly Kristal
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rupert Grint
as Cheetah Chrome
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Malin Akerman
as Debbie Harry
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Johnny Galecki
as Terry Ork
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Stana Katic
as Genya Ravan
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Ashley Greene
as Lisa Kristal
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Justin Bartha
as Stiv Bators
Ryan Hurst
as Mad Mountain
Kyle Gallner
as Lou Reed
Taylor Hawkins
as Iggy Pop
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

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