A Chorus Line

Play trailer

A Chorus Line

PG-13

1985

1h 53m

Musical

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

48%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Hundreds of hopefuls congregate at a cattle call for Broadway dancers. A sour director, Zach (Michael Douglas), and his brusque assistant (Terrence Mann) whittle down the ranks until they're left with 16 dancers. All tell their life stories -- some tragic, some comic -- and explain their love of dance. Tension mounts when Cassie (Alyson Reed) -- once both a big star and the director's lover but now desperate for a part -- auditions. But Zach must choose only the best for his show.

Critics Consensus

On stage, A Chorus Line pulled back the curtain to reveal the hopes and fears of showbiz strivers, but that energy and urgency is lost in the transition to the big screen.

Read Critics Reviews

Joe Pollack

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

05/25/2023

I think the film version suffers badly by comparison, but more important, I think that even if there had been no stage production, the film would not have worked very well.

Go to Full Review

Perry Stewart

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

05/25/2023

3/4

Is it good? Yes. But is it, in the words of the finale, a "singular sensation?" Well, no, it isn't.

Go to Full Review

Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

03/07/2019

If you were one of that legion who saw A Chorus Line more than once in the theater, the film is enough to make you doubt your judgment. If you've never seen the stage piece, you may come out wondering what in the name of goodness all the fuss was about.

Go to Full Review

Bob Ross

Tampa Tribune

05/25/2023

2.5/4

While conceding that the film medium cannot convey the same intensity as Michael Bennett's ingenious play, one still finds plenty of musical and emotional kicks in Richard Attenborough's conscientious screen adaptation.

Go to Full Review

Robert W. Butler

Kansas City Star

05/25/2023

3/4

It lacks the stunning theatricality of the stage production, but it is reasonably diverting and every now and then lit up by flashes of genuine excitement.

Go to Full Review

Richard Freedman

Newhouse News Service

05/25/2023

On film, it has its own -- often glittering -- pleasures to offer, suggesting a less original All That Jazz merged with a less frenetic Fame.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Eye C

@ECinc Jun 3

I wasn’t expecting a full casting session and that’s it, but it sure is interesting and the songs very good also… So 🎵🎶🎵"I hope I get it"🎵🎶🎵

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 07/04/2025

Success in 1 hour and 53 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $14,200,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See more

Autumn M

@RT26919073 12/10/2023

A Chorus Line is the story of a group of Broadway-hopefuls all competing for the coveted spots in a chorus line. The audience learns about each person's backstory and what has inspired them to dance. It felt a bit like a bottle episode. The songs were okay, but I really do not understand how they could have built an entire musical around an audition. I just was not impressed. Not recommended.

See more

Robert C

@Cratchit 11/21/2023

Lost the edge of the Broadway show. Far too artsy-fartsy.

See more

Joel H

@786Joel 11/03/2023

At the beginning of A Chorus Line, the director says, "since I need great dancers, I can't expect you all to be great actors." That seems to hold true with this film adaptation of the Broadway musical. The cast is full of talented dancers, but the acting was hit and miss. I didn't connect with any the characters, either. They all seemed like miserable people leading miserable lives. And we're supposed to be happy for those who were cast in the show, but I just felt bad for them. Also, what was Michael Douglas doing in this movie? I guess one, singularly sensational song doesn't make a musical great.

See more

Gerald O

@RT47211043 09/04/2023

I really liked this movie a lot. Granted, I never saw the stage play, but this movie stands alone with the dancing, the drama and the singing. I really don't see how the critics could give this movie such a low score. So totally unfair and so completely inaccurate.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Richard Attenborough

Director

Michael Douglas

Zach

Terrence Mann

Larry

Audrey Landers

Val

Michael Blevins

Mark

Yamil Borges

Diana Morales

Tap

56%

70%

Tap

Watchlist

Shout

20%

38%

Shout

Watchlist

Sing

43%

89%

Sing

Watchlist

Mack the Knife

20%

50%

Mack the Knife

Watchlist

Graffiti Bridge

18%

88%

Graffiti Bridge

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Hundreds of hopefuls congregate at a cattle call for Broadway dancers. A sour director, Zach (Michael Douglas), and his brusque assistant (Terrence Mann) whittle down the ranks until they're left with 16 dancers. All tell their life stories -- some tragic, some comic -- and explain their love of dance. Tension mounts when Cassie (Alyson Reed) -- once both a big star and the director's lover but now desperate for a part -- auditions. But Zach must choose only the best for his show.

Director: Richard Attenborough
Producer: Ernest H. Martin, Cy Feuer
Screenwriter: Arnold Schulman
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Columbia Pictures
Production Co: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 10, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 8, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.2M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings