The Wanderers
A lively Bronx coming-of-age drama follows Italian-American teens whose romances, rivalries, and gang loyalties collide with the end of an era.
Overview
A nostalgic journey through the Bronx, where youth and rebellion collide in a vibrant musical backdrop.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- nostalgic
- witty
- restless
- nostalgic movie night
- classic film night
What critics said
Critics broadly value the film’s vivid early-1960s atmosphere, energetic soundtrack, performances, and depiction of adolescent urban angst, while acknowledging its episodic unevenness and uneasy blend of nostalgia and violence.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Four Seasons, Lee Dorsey, The Angels, and Ben E. King songs anchor the Bronx setting and its adolescent nostalgia.
Graduation and the approaching end of gang life frame the Wanderers’ carefree days as an era nearing its close.
The gang’s romances, street conflicts, school tensions, and rumble preparations unfold as a string of interlinked episodes.
Richie and the Italian-American Wanderers define themselves through gang affiliation, rivalries, and collective street life.
Films like The Wanderers, and why
American Graffiti
shared adolescent nostalgia, street culture, rock soundtrack, and episodic coming-of-age drama
The Last Picture Show
shared 1960s youth culture, working-class adolescence, nostalgia, and melancholy transition into adulthood
Mean Streets
shared urban gang conflict, musical atmosphere, gritty realism, and youthful alienation
Over the Edge
shared teen friendships, gang rivalries, rebellious energy, and period rock-and-roll atmosphere
Movie Details
- Director
- Philip Kaufman
- Release Date
- 1979-07-13
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (237)
Cast
- Ken Wahl
- John Friedrich
- Karen Allen
- Toni Kalem
- Alan Rosenberg
- Jim Youngs
- Tony Ganios
- Linda Manz
- William Andrews
- Erland van Lidth
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Kino Film Collection
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- 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 Wanderers about?
- A lively Bronx coming-of-age drama follows Italian-American teens whose romances, rivalries, and gang loyalties collide with the end of an era.
- What is The Wanderers like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Wanderers as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Wanderers violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Wanderers as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Wanderers?
- Critics broadly value the film’s vivid early-1960s atmosphere, energetic soundtrack, performances, and depiction of adolescent urban angst, while acknowledging its episodic unevenness and uneasy blend of nostalgia and violence.
- Which films are like The Wanderers?
- Films with a similar feel include American Graffiti, The Last Picture Show, Mean Streets, and Over the Edge.
- How long is The Wanderers?
- The Wanderers runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Wanderers?
- In United States, The Wanderers streams on Kino Film Collection.
