Waking Life (2001): cast, story & where to watch
2001 · Film · ★ 7.5
Released in 2001, Waking Life is a fantasy, drama and animation film directed by Richard Linklater, running about 99 minutes. “Dreams. What are they? An escape from reality or reality itself?” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Waking Life is about a young man in a persistent lucid dream-like state. The film follows its protagonist as he initially observes and later participates in philosophical discussions that weave together issues like reality, free will, our relationships with others, and the meaning of life.
Who’s in it. Waking Life stars Trevor Jack Brooks as Young Boy Playing Paper Game, Lorelei Linklater as Young Girl Playing Paper Game, Wiley Wiggins as Main Character and Glover Gill as Accordion Player, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.5/10, Waking Life has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $3.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video 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 Waking Life page.
If you liked it. Fans of Waking Life tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Green Mile, Spirited Away and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Waking Life (2001)?
- In US, Waking Life is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, 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 Waking Life worth watching?
- Waking Life holds an audience score of 7.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy fantasy, drama and animation. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Waking Life?
- Waking Life stars Trevor Jack Brooks, Lorelei Linklater, Wiley Wiggins, Glover Gill and Lara Hicks.
- When was Waking Life released?
- Waking Life was released in 2001, with a runtime of about 99 minutes.