Bukowski: Born into This (2003) - Rotten Tomatoes

Bukowski: Born into This (2003)

TOMATOMETER

83%
89%

AUDIENCE SCORE

89%

Critic Consensus: A thoroughly engrossing documentary examining the life of talented but troubled writer Charles Bukowski.

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Movie Info

Advertising writer John Dullaghan makes his feature-length directorial debut with the documentary Bukowski: Born Into This. The infamous poet, novelist, and screenwriter Charles Bukowski has made a legacy of writing about hard living in a unique prose style. His work paralleled his lifestyle, leading to the autobiographical novels Women, Hollywood, and Post Office. This documentary investigates his life through archival clips, interviews, and footage of the man himself. He appears at a public reading in San Francisco's City Lights Bookstore. Conversations with Bukowski's friends, including rock star Bono and actor Sean Penn, reveals some personal stories and experiences. Bukowski: Born Into This was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the documentary competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.
  • Rating:
    R (for language and sexual content/nudity.)
  • Genre:
    Documentary, Special Interest
  • Directed By:
    John Dullaghan
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Box Office:
    $81,682
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Magnolia Pictures

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Cast

Charles Bukowski
as Himself
Taylor Hackford
Linda Lee Bukowski
Neeli Cherkovski
Bono
as Himself
Joyce Fante
Michael Cano
Dom Muto
John Martin
Harry Dean Stanton
as Himself
Jack Micheline
William Packard
FrancEye
Marina Bukowski
Tom Waits
John Bryan
Liza Williams
Carl Weissner
Steve Richmond
Pam 'Cupcakes' Miller
Sean Penn
as Himself
Mike Meloan
Barbet Schroeder
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Critic Reviews for Bukowski: Born into This

All Critics (48) | Top Critics (19)

An amazing, worthy journey.

October 28, 2004 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…
Top Critic

Provides an overview of Bukowski's work and allows us to gaze into the soul of a man who built a fortress of toughness around his vulnerable core.

August 20, 2004 | Rating: B+
Top Critic

The filmmaker knows when to shift the rhythm of his investigation. The authenticity of art is woven with the artifice of life.

August 20, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
Top Critic

Over a period of seven years, Dullaghan interviewed hundreds of people who knew or were affected by Bukowski. The result is both wide-ranging and intimate.

July 30, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
Top Critic

How much was legend, how much was pose, how much was real? I think it was all real, and the documentary suggests as much.

July 16, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…
Top Critic

Dullaghan's raw and defining documentary about the man -- and the myth.

July 15, 2004 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (48)

Audience Reviews for Bukowski: Born into This

A heartfelt, interesting portrait of one of America's greatest writers. The presence of Bono felt completely out of place and even a bit intrusive, but aside from that I enjoyed everything about this film.

Mike T.
Mike T.

Super Reviewer

moving documentary on the mad poet bukowski who never compromised his work. a powerful portrait of a brave yet fragile man who some would call an asshole

Stella Dallas
Stella Dallas

Super Reviewer

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