Born to Be Blue

"Love is instrumental"

2015 1h 37m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 234

DramaMusic

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Jazz legend Chet Baker finds love and redemption when he stars in a movie about his own troubled life to mount a comeback.

“Love is instrumental”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Ethan Hawke
Chet Baker
Carmen Ejogo
Jane/Elaine
Callum Keith Rennie
Dick
Stephen McHattie
Dad
Janet-Laine Green
Mom
Tony Nappo
Officer Reid
Janine Theriault
Florence
Tony Nardi
Nicholas

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Robert Budreau
Writers: Robert Budreau
Languages: English
Countries: Canada, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 11 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Canada, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Robert Budreau, shot by Steve Cosens. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Steve London. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor David Freeman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ethan Hawke and Carmen Ejogo and Callum Keith Rennie carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Love is instrumental".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt2133196 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Robert Budreau directs. Steve Cosens behind the camera. Steve London scores. David Freeman cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Canada, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 11 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: Canada, United Kingdom.
3Directed by Robert Budreau, shot by Steve Cosens. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Steve London. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor David Freeman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Ethan Hawke and Carmen Ejogo and Callum Keith Rennie carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Love is instrumental".
8IMDB entry: tt2133196 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Steve Cosens
Original score: Steve London
Editing: David Freeman
Production design: Aidan Leroux
Costume design: Anne Dixon
Makeup / hair: Lynda McCormack
Runtime: 97 min · 1h 37m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $830,129
Original language: EN
IMDB: Born to Be Blue (2015)

Also by

Robert Budreau

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Reno2016-08-04
★ 6/10
Behind this man's success there was a woman and other things. This is not a bad semi-biographical music-drama with a little romance in it, but many of us have no idea of its existence because it is not a Hollywood. For me it was just an above average, because of the first 30 minutes. In those narrations it was very boring, you know a film needs a good opening and this film's first impression failed. But next one hour, till the final scene was much better. Except I hated the whispering dialogues which this film had everywhere. I don't know who is Chet Baker, thanks to this film for introducing him to me. This story is no special compared to other biopics related to music and singing. Like fame and drugs taking over the career where one struggles to rise back from the fall. This is the same old crap, except it is a jazz theme, but everything was lightly portrayed without making much complication. I mean it centres only on the romance and music, everything else was never given preference. Except in parts where the couple seeks support from the outside world like the opportunities and meeting their parents. The film focused only a certain stage of the life of Chet. It is very sad not knowing his earlier life as well as his Europe settlement in the later on which looks much more interesting than what they narrated in this. Ethan Hawke was great as usual and so his co-stars. There's no harm for once viewing, but some people feel it more depressing than enjoyable or entertaining. So the film is for the selected audience and make sure you're one of them before going for it. 6/10

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