Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- campy
- irreverent
- witty
- cult movie night
- retro musical night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film infectious, gleefully camp, and well suited to Johnny Depp's comic pin-up image.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John Waters exaggerates the emotions, costumes, performances, and conventions of 1950s teen delinquent movies.
Allison's square respectability clashes with Cry-Baby's Drape identity, making their attraction a challenge to social divisions.
The film spoofs Elvis vehicles and juvenile delinquency scare films through rock and roll performances and comic melodrama.
Cry-Baby's singing, tears, and Drape image turn teenage rebellion into an intentionally theatrical identity.
Films like Cry-Baby, and why
Grease
campy musical satire of 1950s teen rebellion, juvenile delinquency melodrama, and outsider romance
Hairspray
stylized teen romance built around rock and roll, class-coded youth groups, and playful genre parody
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
irreverent rock musical with heightened performances, rebellious young lovers, and deliberately outrageous comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- John Waters
- Release Date
- 1990-04-06
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (1597)
Cast
- Johnny Depp
- Amy Locane
- Susan Tyrrell
- Stephen Mailer
- Iggy Pop
- Ricki Lake
- Traci Lords
- Darren E. Burrows
- Kim McGuire
- Polly Bergen
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 Cry-Baby about?
- A tearful greaser and a restless square collide in John Waters's exuberant rock-and-roll send-up of 1950s teen rebellion.
- What is Cry-Baby like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cry-Baby as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Cry-Baby violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Cry-Baby as mild.
- What did critics think of Cry-Baby?
- Critics generally found the film infectious, gleefully camp, and well suited to Johnny Depp's comic pin-up image.
- Which films are like Cry-Baby?
- Films with a similar feel include Grease, Hairspray, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
- How long is Cry-Baby?
- Cry-Baby runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch Cry-Baby?
- In United States, Cry-Baby is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
