8½ (1963)
Kernel Score: 91% · 2,489 ratings · Rated NR
Genres: Drama
Released: 1963-02-14
Runtime: 139 minutes
Is 8½ worth watching?
Worth watching. Fellini's dreamlike portrait of a film director who has run out of ideas. It's beautiful, funny and confusing, and a landmark for filmmakers, though it demands patience.
Watch it if you
- love art-house classics
- like films about creative block
- enjoy surreal imagery
Skip it if you
- want a clear plot
- dislike slow, subtitled films
Best for: Quiet classic night
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch 8½
- Stream: HBO Max
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, Tubi
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Guido Anselmi, a film director, finds himself creatively barren at the peak of his career. Urged by his doctors to rest, Anselmi heads for a luxurious resort, but a sorry group gathers—his producer, staff, actors, wife, mistress, and relatives—each one begging him to get on with the show. In retreat from their dependency, he fantasizes about past women and dreams of his childhood.
8½ parents' guide: ages 13+
Parents need to know that 8½ is a classic Fellini drama about a filmmaker's creative and personal crisis, including adultery and a suicide attempt.
- Violence & scariness: A little — Includes a suicide attempt referenced within the story's dreamlike structure.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Moderate — Depicts an extramarital affair and a mistress relationship as central plot elements.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official NR rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like 8½
If you liked 8½, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- La Dolce Vita (1960) — 89%: Fellini's other great portrait of Rome and its excess
- Amarcord (1973) — 88%: Fellini's nostalgic, dreamlike memory film
- La Strada (1954) — 89%: Fellini's moving earlier drama
- Pain and Glory (2019) — 84%: Director looks back at his life and work
- Synecdoche, New York (2008) — 85%: Creative crisis turned into a surreal puzzle
- Barton Fink (1991) — 85%: Writer's block and surreal paranoia
Director
Cast
- Marcello Mastroianni as Guido Anselmi
- Claudia Cardinale as Claudia
- Anouk Aimée as Luisa Anselmi
- Sandra Milo as Carla
- Rossella Falk as Rossella
- Barbara Steele as Gloria Morin
- Madeleine Lebeau as Madeleine, the French Actress
- Caterina Boratto as Mysterious Lady
- Eddra Gale as La Saraghina
- Guido Alberti as Pace, the Producer
8½ FAQ
Is 8½ worth watching?
Worth watching. Fellini's dreamlike portrait of a film director who has run out of ideas. It's beautiful, funny and confusing, and a landmark for filmmakers, though it demands patience.
Where can I watch 8½?
In the US you can stream 8½ on HBO Max, watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Shout! Factory TV, Plex and Tubi and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is 8½ OK for kids?
8½ is rated NR. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 13+. Parents need to know that 8½ is a classic Fellini drama about a filmmaker's creative and personal crisis, including adultery and a suicide attempt.
What movies are like 8½?
If you liked 8½, try La Dolce Vita, Amarcord, La Strada and Pain and Glory.