Overview
A punk-rock odyssey of self-discovery and musical rebellion unfolds across America.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- campy
- cathartic
- cult movie night
- music movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrated the film as an inventive, heartfelt glam-rock musical whose humor, music, and emotional poignancy are anchored by John Cameron Mitchell's performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Hedwig narrates her life from the stage while transforming personal trauma into glam-rock performance.
The film combines outrageous costumes, comic monologues, and punk spectacle with Hedwig's loneliness and wounded self-image.
Hedwig's gender history, name, relationships, and songs all revolve around an incomplete sense of self.
Hedwig follows former lover and band-mate Tommy, who has taken her songs and achieved success with them.
Films like Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and why
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
glam-rock musical spectacle, gender performance, camp humor, and cult midnight-movie energy
Velvet Goldmine
rock music, queer identity, theatrical self-invention, and emotionally charged performance
Rent
music-driven drama, outsider identity, romantic betrayal, and flamboyant stage performance
Everybody's Talking About Jamie
bittersweet queer romance, musical storytelling, and unconventional self-discovery
Movie Details
- Director
- John Cameron Mitchell
- Release Date
- 2001-07-20
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (446)
Cast
- John Cameron Mitchell
- Miriam Shor
- Stephen Trask
- Theodore Liscinski
- Rob Campbell
- Michael Aronov
- Andrea Martin
- Ben Mayer-Goodman
- Alberta Watson
- Gene Pyrz
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- 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 Hedwig and the Angry Inch about?
- A flamboyant East Berlin-born punk singer turns romantic betrayal and fractured identity into a riotous glam-rock odyssey across America.
- What is Hedwig and the Angry Inch like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hedwig and the Angry Inch as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Hedwig and the Angry Inch violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Hedwig and the Angry Inch as mild.
- What did critics think of Hedwig and the Angry Inch?
- Critics broadly celebrated the film as an inventive, heartfelt glam-rock musical whose humor, music, and emotional poignancy are anchored by John Cameron Mitchell's performance.
- Which films are like Hedwig and the Angry Inch?
- Films with a similar feel include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Velvet Goldmine, Rent, and Everybody's Talking About Jamie.
- How long is Hedwig and the Angry Inch?
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hedwig and the Angry Inch?
- In United States, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
