Rude Boy (1980): cast, story & where to watch
1980 · Film · ★ 5.5
Released in 1980, Rude Boy is a music film directed by David Mingay, running about 133 minutes. “Grab the future... by its face!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Rude Boy is a semi-documentary, part character study, part 'rockumentary', featuring a British punk band, The Clash. The script includes the story of a fictional fan juxtposed with actual public events of the day, including political demonstrations and Clash concerts.
Who’s in it. Rude Boy stars Joe Strummer as Rhythm Guitarist, Topper Headon as Drummer, Jimmy Pursey as Himself and Ray Gange as Rude Boy, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.5/10, Rude Boy has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel, Night Flight Plus, Metrograph and Kino Film Collection and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Rude Boy page.
If you liked it. Fans of Rude Boy tend to enjoy Whiplash, Coco, Green Book and The Legend of 1900.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Rude Boy (1980)?
- In US, Rude Boy is available to stream on Criterion Channel, Night Flight Plus and Metrograph, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Rude Boy worth watching?
- Rude Boy holds an audience score of 5.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy music. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Rude Boy?
- Rude Boy stars Joe Strummer, Topper Headon, Jimmy Pursey, Ray Gange and Paul Simonon.
- When was Rude Boy released?
- Rude Boy was released in 1980, with a runtime of about 133 minutes.