Synopsis
A documentary film about the life of pianist and jazz great Thelonious Sphere Monk. Features live performances by Monk and his band, and interviews with friends and family about the offbeat genius.
Scores
Overall Score
27.5
Popularity Percentile (Year)
10.4%
Box Office Percentile (Year)
17.2%
Review Aggregate
83.8
Critic Consensus
Critic reception is largely positive, with 88% of 8 logged reviews marked Fresh. Across reviews, critics repeatedly emphasize gritty, character-driven, emotional. Most critics frame the film as an effective delivery of its core style and intent.
grittycharacter-drivenemotionalvisually strikingthought-provokingrealistic
Cast
| Cast | Year | Reported Salary | Inflation Adjusted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Cleveland | 1989 | $6,000 | $15,000 | (est) |
| Harry Colomby | 1989 | $4,000 | $9,000 | (est) |
| John Coltrane | 1989 | $3,000 | $7,000 | (est) |
| Ray Copeland | 1989 | $2,000 | $6,000 | (est) |
| Nica de Koenigswarter | 1989 | $2,000 | $5,000 | (est) |
| Johnny Griffin | 1989 | $2,000 | $4,000 | (est) |
Aggregated Reviews
Rotten Tomatoes critic score89.0
RT critic review count9
Rotten Tomatoes audience score84.0
RT audience rating count100
IMDb rating7.5
IMDb votes1,398
Box Office ?
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 1989 | $518,918 | $1,312,779 |
| International | 1989 | N/A | N/A |
| Worldwide | 1989 | $518,918 | $1,312,779 |
Earnings / Profitability
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | |||
| Theatrical Net Revenue | 1989 | $259,459 | $656,389 |
| Digital Rentals ? | 1989 | N/A | N/A |
| Digital Purchases ? | 1989 | N/A | N/A |
| Physical Rentals ? | 1989 | $4,156,000 | $10,514,010 |
| Physical Purchases ? | 1989 | $2,304,000 | $5,828,749 |
| TV & Streaming Revenue | 1989 | $207,567 | $525,112 |
| Total Revenues | 1989 | $6,927,026 | $17,524,260 |
| Expenses | |||
| Budget ? | 1989 | $571,000 (est) | $1,444,538 (est) |
| Print & Advertising (P&A) ? | 1989 | $361,000 (est) | $913,272 (est) |
| Participations | 1989 | $277,000 | $700,765 |
| Residuals ? | 1989 | $479,000 | $1,211,793 |
| Interest & Overhead | 1989 | $114,200 | $288,908 |
| Total Expenses | 1989 | $1,802,200 | $4,559,276 |
| Movie Net Profit or Loss | 1989 | $5,124,826 | $12,964,984 |
Similar Movies
| Poster | Movie | Year | Match | Overall | Est. Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Amy | 2015 | Shared genres: 3 | 80.1 | $22,715,889 |
 | Searching for Sugar Man | 2012 | Shared genres: 3 | 77.4 | $23,551,234 |
 | Moonage Daydream | 2022 | Shared genres: 3 | 73.5 | $19,371,975 |
 | Katy Perry: Part of Me | 2012 | Shared genres: 3 | 71.6 | $22,530,647 |
 | Once Were Brothers | 2020 | Shared genres: 3 | 70.5 | $27,616,785 |