The Aviator (2004)
Kernel Score: 81% · 5,739 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Drama
Released: 2004-12-17
Runtime: 170 minutes
Is The Aviator worth watching?
Worth watching. A big-budget biopic of Howard Hughes, with Leonardo DiCaprio convincing as a driven man losing grip. It's handsome, though the length shows. Better as a portrait of obsession than as history.
Watch it if you
- like Scorsese and old Hollywood
- enjoy portraits of driven, troubled men
- are happy with a long biopic
Skip it if you
- dislike long biopics
- want a tight story
Best for: Long evening in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Aviator
- Stream: Fubo, Paramount+
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla
- Rent: Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
A biopic depicting the life of filmmaker and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947, during which time he became a successful film producer and an aviation magnate, while simultaneously growing more unstable due to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The Aviator parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Aviator is a PG-13 biographical drama depicting Howard Hughes' life, including his womanizing and worsening mental illness.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Some — As a period biopic of a Hollywood/aviation mogul, some social drinking is implied though not detailed in the signals.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Aviator
If you liked The Aviator, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Right Stuff (1983) — 83%: Another film about daring flyers and the early space age.
- Chaplin (1992) — 82%: Biopic about a film pioneer, with a famed lead performance.
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) — 95%: Scorsese and DiCaprio again, on ambition and excess.
- The Departed (2006) — 96%: Scorsese and DiCaprio in a crime thriller.
- GoodFellas (1990) — 92%: Scorsese at his best.
- Shutter Island (2010) — 91%: Scorsese and DiCaprio with a disturbed mind at the centre.
Director
Cast
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes
- Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn
- Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner
- John C. Reilly as Noah Dietrich
- Alec Baldwin as Juan Trippe
- Alan Alda as Senator Ralph Owen Brewster
- Ian Holm as Professor Fitz
- Danny Huston as Jack Frye
- Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow
- Jude Law as Errol Flynn
The Aviator FAQ
Is The Aviator worth watching?
Worth watching. A big-budget biopic of Howard Hughes, with Leonardo DiCaprio convincing as a driven man losing grip. It's handsome, though the length shows. Better as a portrait of obsession than as history.
Where can I watch The Aviator?
In the US you can stream The Aviator on Fubo and Paramount+, watch it free with ads on Kanopy and Hoopla and rent it from Fandango At Home.
Is The Aviator OK for kids?
The Aviator is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Aviator is a PG-13 biographical drama depicting Howard Hughes' life, including his womanizing and worsening mental illness.
What movies are like The Aviator?
If you liked The Aviator, try The Right Stuff, Chaplin, The Wolf of Wall Street and The Departed.