Born to Be Blue

Born to Be Blue follows jazz trumpeter Chet Baker as he attempts a comeback in the late 1960s. His career and his health have been damaged by drug use, and a violent encounter leaves him with serious dental injuries that threaten his ability to play. While taking part in a film about his own life, he meets Jane, an actress who becomes his partner and pushes him to return to music against the odds.

The drama was directed and written by Robert Budreau, marking the first of his three features to date, ahead of Stockholm and Queen of Bones. Ethan Hawke plays Baker, with Carmen Ejogo as Jane, and Callum Keith Rennie, Stephen McHattie, Janet-Laine Green and Tony Nappo among the supporting cast.

Produced between the United Kingdom and Canada, the film runs 97 minutes and was released in 2015. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.8 from around 9,800 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.5 from roughly 234 votes. A critics' rating of 7 out of 10 from 119 reviews places it somewhat above the audience scores, suggesting a warmer response from reviewers than from the wider viewing public.