Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- wistful
- melancholic
- intimate
- reflective evening
- classic teen drama marathon
What critics said
Critics generally find the adaptation atmospheric, well cast, and emotionally sincere, while divided over its stylized direction and thin characterization.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ponyboy and the Greasers are defined by their conflict with the wealthier Socs of Tulsa's south side.
The film emphasizes realistic speech, troubled family relationships, and the everyday experience of poor teenagers.
Ponyboy's sensitivity, the recurring idea of staying gold, and the 1960s setting give the gang drama a wistful mythic atmosphere.
The Greasers and Socs view one another as uniform types while Ponyboy, Johnny, and Cherry recognize personal complexity across the divide.
Films like The Outsiders, and why
West Side Story
shared coming-of-age drama, class division, adolescent gang conflict, and tragic emotional stakes
Rumble Fish
shared teen drama, working-class youth, social outsiders, and intimate naturalistic characterization
American Graffiti
shared 1960s youth alienation, class tensions, rebellious teenagers, and melancholic nostalgia
Movie Details
- Director
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Release Date
- 1983-03-25
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (1616)
Cast
- C. Thomas Howell
- Matt Dillon
- Ralph Macchio
- Patrick Swayze
- Rob Lowe
- Emilio Estevez
- Tom Cruise
- Glenn Withrow
- Diane Lane
- Leif Garrett
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Outsiders about?
- A sensitive Greaser teenager struggles to protect his fractured family while escalating rivalry with Tulsa’s privileged Socs forces him to confront the cost of tribal identity.
- What is The Outsiders like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Outsiders as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Outsiders violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Outsiders as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Outsiders?
- Critics generally find the adaptation atmospheric, well cast, and emotionally sincere, while divided over its stylized direction and thin characterization.
- Which films are like The Outsiders?
- Films with a similar feel include West Side Story, Rumble Fish, and American Graffiti.
- How long is The Outsiders?
- The Outsiders runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Outsiders?
- In United States, The Outsiders streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel.
