Downtown 81
2000 · Movie · 72 min · ★ 6.7 · 67% critics
A young artist spends a day roaming downtown streets after being pushed out of an apartment, hoping to sell a painting and get back on his feet. Along the way, encounters with friends open brief windows into a lively creative scene filled with art, music, and performance.
Also known as Glenn O'Brien's New York Beat Movie
Where to watch
Watch free on Kanopy and Hoopla — also streaming on Kino Film Collection.
1 hour to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- Downtown '81
- Years
- 2000
- Release date
- 2001-07-13
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 72 min
- Critic score
- 67/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.7/10 (31 votes)
About
You may like this if you enjoy low-key artist stories and downtown creative energy; Not for you if you want a tightly plotted rise-and-fall drama like One Chance.
Pros: downtown art scene; loose daylong journey; performance glimpses | Cons: minimal plot drive; niche creative focus; wandering structure
Themes
- new york city
- artist
- art
- anarchic comedy
Cast & crew
Jean-Michel Basquiat
as Jean (archive footage)
Saul Williams
as Jean's Narration (voice)
- AS
Anna Shroeder
as Beatrice
Debbie Harry
as Fairy Godmother
- GG
Giorgio Giomelsky
as Landlord
Coati Mundi
as Self
Debi Mazar
as Peppermint Lounge Dancer
- GQ
George Quinones
as Graffiti Artist
- WS
Walter Steding
as Self
Steven Brown
as Self - Vocals, Tuxedomoon
Directed by Edo Bertoglio