Overview
A young man's quest for identity and belonging amidst the chaos of youth culture in 1960s London.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- restless
- gritty
- angsty
- music movie night
- british cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film's gritty authenticity, raw energy, music, and Phil Daniels's angst-ridden performance as a vivid portrait of working-class adolescent rebellion.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jimmy finds identity and acceptance among London's Mods, expressed through clothing, scooters, music, and group loyalty.
The story grounds Jimmy's frustration in 1965 London employment, family life, Mod fashion, and clashes with Rockers.
The Who's music and Mod musical culture accompany Jimmy's scooter rides, social identity, and escalating excitement.
Jimmy's rejection of his parents, job, and conventional life leads from liberating group rituals toward loneliness and disillusionment.
Films like Quadrophenia, and why
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
shared working-class coming-of-age drama, youthful rebellion, and culturally specific British setting
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
shared kitchen-sink realism, teenage alienation, and restless working-class masculinity
Absolute Beginners
shared mod-era British youth culture, music-driven energy, and disaffected adolescence
The Outsiders
shared teen subculture conflict, outsider identity, and emotionally charged rock soundtrack
Movie Details
- Director
- Franc Roddam
- Release Date
- 1979-09-14
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (303)
Cast
- Phil Daniels
- Leslie Ash
- Phil Davis
- Mark Wingett
- Sting
- Ray Winstone
- Garry Cooper
- Gary Shail
- Toyah Willcox
- Trevor Laird
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Quadrophenia about?
- A restless London Mod chases freedom through scooters, music, and tribal rebellion before the fantasy of belonging starts to collapse.
- What is Quadrophenia like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Quadrophenia as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Quadrophenia violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Quadrophenia as moderate.
- What did critics think of Quadrophenia?
- Critics broadly praise the film's gritty authenticity, raw energy, music, and Phil Daniels's angst-ridden performance as a vivid portrait of working-class adolescent rebellion.
- Which films are like Quadrophenia?
- Films with a similar feel include The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Absolute Beginners, and The Outsiders.
- How long is Quadrophenia?
- Quadrophenia runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Quadrophenia?
- In United States, Quadrophenia streams on fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
