The Basketball Diaries (1995), directed by Scott Kalvert, is a powerful coming-of-age drama based on Jim Carroll’s autobiographical novel. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jim Carroll, a promising high school basketball player and aspiring poet whose life takes a harrowing turn as he spirals into drug addiction. Set against the backdrop of 1970s New York City, the story follows Jim’s descent from a talented athlete to a troubled young man grappling with the harsh realities of addiction and the impact it has on his relationships and dreams.