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Poster Art for "Howl"

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  • Howl
  • Opened September 24, 2010 | Runtime:2 hr 16 min
  • R
    Strong sexual content including language and images, and for some drug material
  • Starring James Franco in a career-defining performance as Allen Ginsberg, HOWL is the story of how the young poet’s seminal work broke down societal barriers in the face of an infamous public obscenity trial. In his famously confessional style, Read More
  • Cast: James Franco, David Strathairn, Jon Hamm, Bob Balaban, Jeff Daniels
  • Directors: Robert Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
  • Genres: Documentary, Drama

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Howl Movie Photos & Trailers + Clips

  • Aaron Tveit as Peter Orlovsky and James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in "Howl."
  • James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in "Howl."
  • Jon Hamm as Jake Ehrlich in "Howl."
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Howl Featured Trailers + Video Clips

Howl Recent Fan Reviews

  • Go

    Howl

    by ChrisNYC

    Excellent film about the writing of the famous poem and the immediate impact on its times vis a vis the obscenity trial relating to its publication. James Franco does a remarkable transformation. If you love the poem, you will love this film. If you know of the poem, but don't know it well, a great intro.

  • Go

    Howl

    by mghaft

    Unique film. Highly recommend it. James Franco was very good and the animation was really great and tracked the poem so well. You will understand Allen Ginsberg very well after seeing this film , to say nothing of his epic work Howl.

  • Must Go!

    Must See for Poetry Buffs

    by

    Before considering this film, READ ALLEN GINSBERG'S HOWL. Even if you find it difficult and undigestable, it will provide some background and understanding to this film. The movie that stars James Franco (portraying Allen Ginsberg) is not so much a biography of the poet, as it is an examination of the creation of one of the generation's greatest and most conterversal poems. It is a very visual experience, and begs the greatest question of literature: is there a line for censorship?

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Howl Critic Reviews

Go Avg. Critic Score 63 out of 100 Metascore ® based on all critic ratings.

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 80
    Arizona Republic | Richard Nilsen

    This film is a wonderful act of imagination on its own.

  • 80
    The New York Times | A.O. Scott

    Not quite a biopic, not really a documentary and only loosely an adaptation,...

  • 75
    The Onion A.V. Club | Keith Phipps

    The trouble with the film is that it often feels too respectable for its own...

  • 75
    Washington Post | Ann Hornaday

    Howl mixes a number of story lines and aesthetic approaches: We get glimpses of...

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