Grapefruit (1988): cast, story & where to watch
1988 · Film · ★ 4
Released in 1988, Grapefruit is a drama, music and history film directed by Cecilia Dougherty, running about 40 minutes.
What it’s about. With an all-female cast, featuring Suzie Bright as John Lennon, Cecilia Dougherty's Grapefruit plays with the romanticized history of the iconic Fab Four, gently mocking John and Yoko’s banal squabbles and obsessive rituals of self-display. Based obliquely on Yoko Ono’s book, the piece works on many levels to reposition this mythic tale of the Beatles by casting '80s women in mod drag—effectively mapping the lesbian sub-culture onto heterosexual mass culture. Discounting the importance of reproducing facts and historical accuracy, Dougherty gives an incisive reading of the creation of pop culture icons: it doesn’t matter who plays John Lennon because ultimately John Lennon is not a person anymore. As a star, he is a projection of our society’s collective needs and desires.
Who’s in it. Grapefruit stars Jill Garellick as Paul McCartney, Azian Nurudin as George Harrison, Shelley Cook as Yoko Ono and Susie Bright as John Lennon, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.0/10, Grapefruit has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Grapefruit page.
If you liked it. Fans of Grapefruit tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Grapefruit (1988)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Grapefruit change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is Grapefruit worth watching?
- Grapefruit holds an audience score of 4.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, music and history. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Grapefruit?
- Grapefruit stars Jill Garellick, Azian Nurudin, Shelley Cook, Susie Bright and Kate Aragon.
- When was Grapefruit released?
- Grapefruit was released in 1988, with a runtime of about 40 minutes.