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Blaze

Blaze

Based on a true Texas love story

2018129 minRMidcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Director
Ethan Hawke
Starring
Ben Dickey, Alia Shawkat, Josh Hamilton, Charlie Sexton

Inspired by the life of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw country movement that spawned the likes of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. The film weaves together three periods in Blaze's life, exploring his love affair with Sybil Rosen; his last, dark night on Earth; and the impact his songs and his death had on his fans, friends, and foes.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Blaze?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Blaze streaming on AMC+, Sundance Now via Prime Video, The Criterion Channel and The Roku Channel (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

Buy · $9.99

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Blaze?

Blaze earns 7 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Blaze worth watching?

Blaze's Midcredits score is the 69th percentile of all films, from 12K ratings across 6 sources. 59% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

69th percentile

Better received than 69% of films

50th percentile among Biography69th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)71st
Approval (how many liked it)65th

67 /100

71st percentile of all films

58th percentile among Biography70th percentile among 2010s

Critics 75 · Audience 67

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

59% liked it

65th percentile of all films

42nd percentile among Biography65th percentile among 2010s
59% rated it 7–1041% rated it 1–6

Critics 95% · Audience 68%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 12 noms overall

85th percentile

12K ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Biography86th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 31% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$1.2M
Opening weekend$44K
Domestic gross$705K
Worldwide gross$705K

Returned 0.6× its budget — 31st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps see the film as a slow, character-driven biopic focused more on Foley's troubled soul and relationships than on conventional plot momentum.

Fans praised

  • Ben Dickey's immersive, lived-in performance as Blaze Foley
  • Hawke's affectionate, non-linear storytelling capturing the poet-musician's spirit
  • Tender, realistic portrayal of the Blaze-Sybil relationship

Detractors panned

  • Muddled, aimless structure that fails to build momentum
  • Unconvincing, stilted dialogue that breaks immersion
  • Depressing subject without a compelling narrative drive

What stands out

Acting85

Ben Dickey's transformative performance and Alia Shawkat's grounded support

Sound and musicDivisive80

Foley's songs performed live with raw authenticity

Atmosphere80

Authentic Austin/Texas singer-songwriter milieu

CharactersDivisive75

Sympathetic yet flawed portrait of Foley and his orbit

Emotional impactDivisive70

Affecting love story and artistic struggle, but not for all

OriginalityDivisive70

Avoids standard biopic beats while remaining familiar in genre

Plot and storyDivisive55

Non-linear, episodic structure that some find meandering

Pacing45

Leisurely pace that some find meditative, others dull

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 24 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Blaze like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
BittersweetMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film treats its subject with affectionate sincerity, never winking at the material.
The rideThe film's bittersweet and melancholic tone suggests a contemplative viewing experience, with the heaviest emotional payoff building toward the culmination of Blaze's arc.
StructureThe film braids three time periods and uses a radio interview as framing device.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a bittersweet mix of admiration for Blaze's art and sadness at his loss, with the music lingering.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film charts a gifted songwriter's decline through alcohol and self-destruction, a classic tragedy arc even if told non-linearly.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfAddictionSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% (this title) · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Addiction · 1% of filmsAmbition · 7% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores Blaze Foley's struggle with alcoholism and the cost of his artistic ambition on his relationships.
StanceThe film mourns Blaze Foley's lost potential and the personal cost of his addiction, focusing on an intimate scope.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanRuralRealistic
FolkForeground music · hybrid
SettingTexas Outlaw Music scene of the 1970s-80s, moving between city bars and rural homes
MusicThe soundtrack features original songs performed by Ben Dickey as Blaze Foley, central to the film's fabric.

Content guide

Is Blaze okay for kids?

R

Blaze is rated R: “Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content and drug use” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (20/100), sexual content at mild (30/100), language at intense (76/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (75/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK15
  • South Korea15
  • Belgium12
  • FinlandK-16
  • Netherlands12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (35 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Blaze have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Blaze?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Ben Dickey
as Blaze Foley
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Alia Shawkat
as Sybil
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Josh Hamilton
as Zee
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Charlie Sexton
as Townes Van Zandt
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Wyatt Russell
as Glyn
Jenn Lyon
as Cinnamon
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ritchie Montgomery
as T J
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
David Kallaway
as Dennis
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jonathan Marc Sherman
as Sam
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kris Kristofferson
as Edwin Fuller
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Blaze?

Movies like Blaze include Hilary and Jackie (1998), Puncture (2011) and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022). Of the 12 closest matches, half are stories about musicians, and most are biopics.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: addiction. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Blaze?

2.4K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: soulmates separated. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.