Movie
Where to Watch Downtown 81 (2001) in the US
- 2001
- Unrated
- 1h 12m
- 6.9IMDb
- 79%Rotten Tomatoes
- 54Metascore
Downtown 81 is available with a subscription, free with a participating library card, or to rent in the United States.
Free with a library card
Rent
- Prime VideoSD72 minNRAudioEnglish$2.99Opens in a new tab.
- Fandango at HomeSD72 minNRAudioEnglish$2.99Opens in a new tab.
- Apple TV StoreSD72 minNRAudioEnglish$3.99Opens in a new tab.
- Apple TV StoreHD72 minNRAudioEnglish$3.99Opens in a new tab.
- Prime VideoHD72 minNRAudioEnglish$3.99Opens in a new tab.
- Fandango at HomeHD72 minNRAudioEnglish$3.99Opens in a new tab.
Watch similar movies on Amazon Prime Video for free30 Days FreeThen $8.99 / monthStream FreePromotedOpens in a new tab.Some links are affiliate links; we may earn a commission. Prices may change. Check the provider for current pricing. Details.
Availability last checked Oct 10, 2026.
Report a wrong listingAvailability
- Watch the movie with a subscription on Kino Film Collection (HD).
- Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD).
- Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, and Prime Video.
What it's about
The film is a day in the life of a young artist, Jean Michel Basquiat, who needs to raise money to reclaim the apartment from which he has been evicted. He wanders the downtown streets carrying a painting he hopes to sell, encountering friends, whose lives (and performances) we peek into. He finally manages to sell his painting to a wealthy female admirer, but he's paid by check. Low on cash, he spends the evening wandering from club to club, looking for a beautiful girl he had met earlier, so he'll have a place to spend the night. Downtown 81 not only captures one of the most interesting and lively artists of the twentieth century as he is poised for fame, but it is a slice of life from one of the most exciting periods in American culture, with the emergence of new wave music, new painting, hip hop and graffiti.
Cast and crew
- Director
- Edo Bertoglio
- Writer
- Glenn O'Brien
- Starring
- Jean Michel Basquiat, John Lurie, Richard Weigand
Details
- Release date
- Mar 14, 2001
- Language
- English
- Country
- United States
- Box office
- $231,445
- Awards
- 3 nominations total
Where to Watch Downtown 81 (2001) in the US — common questions
- Where to watch Downtown 81 in the United States?
- Downtown 81 is available with a subscription, free with a participating library card, or to rent in the United States. Watch the movie with a subscription on Kino Film Collection (HD). Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD). Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, and Prime Video.
- Can I stream Downtown 81 or do I have to rent it in the United States?
- Watch the movie with a subscription on Kino Film Collection (HD). Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, and Prime Video.
- Can I watch Downtown 81 for free in the United States?
- Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD).
More like Downtown 81
Other films in the same genres.
