The Pianist (2002): cast, story & where to watch
2002 · Film · ★ 8.4
Released in 2002, The Pianist is a drama and war film directed by Roman Polanski, running about 150 minutes. “Music was his passion. Survival was his masterpiece.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of the war-torn city.
Who’s in it. The Pianist stars Adrien Brody as Władysław 'Władek' Szpilman, Thomas Kretschmann as Captain Wilm Hosenfeld, Frank Finlay as Father and Maureen Lipman as Mother, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.4/10, The Pianist sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue. It went on to earn $120.1M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, CuriosityStream Apple TV Channel and Amazon Prime Video with Ads 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 The Pianist page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Pianist tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Pianist (2002)?
- In US, The Pianist is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and CuriosityStream Apple TV Channel, 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 The Pianist worth watching?
- The Pianist holds an audience score of 8.4 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and war. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Pianist?
- The Pianist stars Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman and Emilia Fox.
- When was The Pianist released?
- The Pianist was released in 2002, with a runtime of about 150 minutes.