Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- decadent
- energetic
- volatile
- late night viewing
- disco movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as a shallow and unfocused retelling of Studio 54 whose energetic atmosphere could not overcome its weak script and uneven characterization.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Studio 54 connects bartenders, busboys, celebrities, singers, owners, and desperate outsiders in intersecting storylines.
The club's elite clientele and characters' pursuit of money, fame, and proximity to celebrities drive the drama.
The film retells Studio 54 as a lavish 1970s New York nightclub defined by music, excess, and social exclusivity.
The film is explicitly identified as LGBTQ-related and presents Studio 54 as a space shaped by queer culture and sexual openness.
Films like 54, and why
Boogie Nights
1970s nightlife setting, music-driven drama, celebrity culture, and precarious social ambition
The Last Days of Disco
ensemble melodrama, club culture, queer themes, and emotionally volatile relationships
Velvet Goldmine
music-centered period drama focused on fame, identity, and conflicted personal relationships
Movie Details
- Director
- Mark Christopher
- Release Date
- 1998-08-28
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (557)
Cast
- Ryan Phillippe
- Mike Myers
- Salma Hayek Pinault
- Breckin Meyer
- Neve Campbell
- Sela Ward
- Sherry Stringfield
- Ellen Albertini Dow
- Cameron Mathison
- Noam Jenkins
Where to watch in United States
- 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 54 about?
- At the height of disco fever, a young bartender and a volatile nightclub empire collide amid Studio 54’s intoxicating promise of fame, sex, and belonging.
- What is 54 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 54 as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is 54 violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in 54.
- What did critics think of 54?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as a shallow and unfocused retelling of Studio 54 whose energetic atmosphere could not overcome its weak script and uneven characterization.
- Which films are like 54?
- Films with a similar feel include Boogie Nights, The Last Days of Disco, and Velvet Goldmine.
- How long is 54?
- 54 runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch 54?
- In United States, 54 is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
