Overview
A young guitarist's quest for musical greatness leads him to unexpected truths about the blues.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- soulful
- wistful
- road-worn
- music movie night
- guitar-focused viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film's borrowed mythology effective and distinctive, especially because of its acting and music.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Eugene asks Willie Brown to guide him toward the lost song and learns that technical skill alone is insufficient for the blues.
Willie's past deal with the devil drives his attempt to revoke the bargain while Eugene becomes entangled in its consequences.
Eugene's development culminates in a high-stakes guitar confrontation with Jack Butler, played by Steve Vai.
Willie and Eugene travel toward the Mississippi Delta while tracing the origins of a storied blues song and its legends.
Films like Crossroads, and why
Amadeus
music-driven coming-of-age drama centered on apprenticeship, artistic ambition, and a young performer pursuing mastery
La Bamba
romanticized musician mythology, intense performance rivalry, and emotionally charged artistic ambition
The Legend of Bagger Vance
blues-inflected musical drama with a traveling artist, legendary musical tradition, and supernatural undertones
Whiplash
young protagonist entering a demanding artistic subculture through mentorship and competitive performance
Movie Details
- Director
- Walter Hill
- Release Date
- 1986-03-14
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (500)
Cast
- Ralph Macchio
- Joe Seneca
- Jami Gertz
- Joe Morton
- Robert Judd
- Steve Vai
- Tim Russ
- Dennis Lipscomb
- Harry Carey Jr.
- Wally Taylor
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 Crossroads about?
- A gifted classical guitarist travels with a legendary bluesman through the Mississippi Delta to uncover a lost song and confront a supernatural debt.
- What is Crossroads like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crossroads as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Crossroads violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Crossroads as mild.
- What did critics think of Crossroads?
- Critics broadly found the film's borrowed mythology effective and distinctive, especially because of its acting and music.
- Which films are like Crossroads?
- Films with a similar feel include Amadeus, La Bamba, The Legend of Bagger Vance, and Whiplash.
- How long is Crossroads?
- Crossroads runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch Crossroads?
- In United States, Crossroads is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
