Tommy

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2:15

Tommy

PG

1975

1h 51m

Musical

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

93 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

After seeing his stepfather murder his father during an argument over his mother, young Tommy goes into shock, suddenly becoming psychosomatically deaf, dumb and blind. As a teenager, Tommy stumbles upon a pinball machine and discovers he is a natural prodigy at the game. Fame and fortune follow for Tommy, as he becomes a pinball champion and later the messiah of a religious cult, which views his pinball skills as a miraculous sign of divine intervention.

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Critics Consensus

Tommy is as erratic and propulsive as a game of pinball, incorporating The Who's songs into an irreverent odyssey with the visual imagination that only director Ken Russell can conjure.

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Martin Knelman

Globe and Mail

Oct 8

Russell smashes everything he touches, but there's no affirmation; he smashes because he enjoys destruction.

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Phil Strassberg

Arizona Republic

Apr 24

Not all the "arias" work, though all are given spectacular, kaleidoscopic production values under Russell's shrewd and resourceful direction.

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Charles Champlin

Los Angeles Times

03/19/2025

"Tommy" is an overwhelming, thunderous, almost continuously astonishing achievement, coherent and consistent from first frames to last.

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Charles Brock

Florida Times-Union

Feb 3

Ken Russell tackles The Who's bestselling rock opera and comes up with a sense-assaulting, visually stunning movie.

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Lou Cedrone

Baltimore Sun

Oct 7

As imaginative and exciting as it is stunning.

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Tom Hutchinson

Radio Times

Aug 31

3/5

Stridency, both vocal and visual, is all, and Roger Daltrey's Tommy is flattened by the weight of celebrity (Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Jack Nicholson and Tina Turner), but it's still worth watching just for its reputation.

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Tina

3d

I saw this 50 years ago. Excellent sound and cinematography!

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Brian G

3d

Powerful music is the best character in the film, right alongside Ann Margret. Tommy provides a strange combination of experiences: on one hand, it is mesmerizing, captivating, and compelling, full of moments and images that are iconic or disturbing--while on the other hand, it is drawn-out, far-fetched, and simply nonsensical. One thing is for certain, though: it is unforgettable.

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Patty E

4d

I never liked the Champagne scene. Despite, the movie is a great piece of Rock History

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Sphinx T

@RT33731817 1d

As good as it could be, but a rock musical about the ramifications of incest is not very 21st century. Greatly improved by a stunning cast of extras, many of them local Art students - we enjoyed every minute.

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Wayne J

@WayJay 2d

The IMAX release brings the movie alive again. Some of the scenes have aged better than others, but always a treat to see The Who in all of its glory.

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Eddie E.

@eddie1949 3d

I was much more excited when I saw it (apparently) 50 years ago. Poor cinematography and sound. Only until credits did I realize how many recognized actors perform movie. Overall, a big disappointment.

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Synopsis

After seeing his stepfather murder his father during an argument over his mother, young Tommy goes into shock, suddenly becoming psychosomatically deaf, dumb and blind. As a teenager, Tommy stumbles upon a pinball machine and discovers he is a natural prodigy at the game. Fame and fortune follow for Tommy, as he becomes a pinball champion and later the messiah of a religious cult, which views his pinball skills as a miraculous sign of divine intervention.

Director: Ken Russell
Producer: Robert Stigwood, Ken Russell
Screenwriter: Ken Russell
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Hemdale Film Corporation [us]
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 1975, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Mar 17, 2026
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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