# The best movies about jazz

Round Midnight, Bird, Whiplash, Soul: the jazz films recommended by Jazz Radio, Festival Jazz 360 and Scarlette Magazine.

- 110 votes · 11 items
- Jul 4, 2025 · septiemeart_nocturne
- https://even.best/en/l/4267/the-best-movies-about-jazz

## Top 10

1. **Round Midnight (1986)** (14 · ▲14 ▼0) — Bertrand Tavernier: Dexter Gordon as a saxophonist exiled in 1950s Paris, score by Herbie Hancock.
2. **Bird (1988)** (12 · ▲13 ▼1) — Clint Eastwood tells the story of Charlie Parker, played by Forest Whitaker.
3. **Whiplash (2014)** (12 · ▲12 ▼0) — Damien Chazelle: a young drummer and a tyrannical teacher.
4. **Soul (2020)** (10 · ▲11 ▼1) — Pixar: a music teacher dreams of playing with a great saxophonist.
5. **Born to Be Blue (2015)** (8 · ▲9 ▼1) — Ethan Hawke as Chet Baker.
6. **Jazz on a Summer's Day (1960)** (7 · ▲9 ▼2) — Bert Stern films the 1958 Newport festival: Armstrong, Monk, Mahalia Jackson.
7. **Chico & Rita (2010)** (5 · ▲8 ▼3) — Trueba, Mariscal and Errando: a pianist and a singer from Havana to New York, animated.
8. **Ray (2004)** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — Taylor Hackford: Jamie Foxx won an Oscar as Ray Charles.
9. **La La Land (2016)** (3 · ▲5 ▼2) — Ryan Gosling as a jazz pianist who wants to save a club.
10. **Mo' Better Blues (1990)** (2 · ▲4 ▼2) — Spike Lee: Denzel Washington as a trumpeter.
11. **Miles Ahead (2015)** (0 · ▲3 ▼3) — Don Cheadle directs and plays Miles Davis.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.