The Pianist

2002 | 150 min | Drama, War

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (95%), audiences adore it (8.4/10), it won 3 Oscars and people are still talking about it. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Have you seen it?

The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of the war-torn city.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 85 on Metacritic
AudiencesVery strong
8.4/10 from 11K viewers
AwardsVery strong
8 wins, 7 other nominations — won Academy Award for Best Director; won Academy Award for Best Actor
Box office & staying powerSolid
$120 million worldwide on a $35 million budget
Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
689K Wikipedia readers in the past year