Sign in

Telstar: The Joe Meek Story

2008·Movie
1h 59min·R
70
GoodGoodWatch score

Watch

Set your services

Telstar: The Joe Meek Story fingerprint

Strong craft, striking style, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension5
  • Fast Pace4
  • Spectacle3

Heart

Deeply moving and melancholic

  • Pathos9
  • Melancholy8
  • Nostalgia7

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay4
  • Dark Humor3
  • Situational Comedy1

World

A real life story, history, and show business

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Standout performances, characters, and direction

  • Acting9
  • Character Depth9
  • Direction8

Style

Standout score

  • Music Centrality10
  • Music Composition8
  • Cinematography7

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchThought-Provoking

Find more like it

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Hit after hit... Someone's bound to get hurt.

Set against a backdrop of early '60s London, Telstar is the story of the world's first independent record producer, Joe Meek. A maverick genius who enjoyed phenomenal success with Telstar – the biggest selling record of it's time – before bad luck, depression, heartbreak and paranoia led to his downfall.
Music BiopicTragic StoryEarly 60s LondonRecord ProducerCreative GeniusMental Health ThemesDownfall NarrativeHistorical DramaCharacter Study

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Telstar: The Joe Meek Story

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Telstar: The Joe Meek Story legally?

You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Telstar: The Joe Meek Story worth watching?

70
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 71/100 (IMDb 6.5 and Rotten Tomatoes 78%). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Telstar: The Joe Meek Story rated?

RDrug useSuicide themes

It's rated R in the United States. Content advisories: drug use and suicide themes.

How long is Telstar: The Joe Meek Story?

1 h 59 min

Telstar: The Joe Meek Story runs 1 h 59 min.

Is Telstar: The Joe Meek Story based on a true story?

Yes. It's based on real events or a real person's life.

Do critics and audiences agree on Telstar: The Joe Meek Story?

Critics78
Audiences67

Not quite. Critics rate Telstar: The Joe Meek Story higher (78) than audiences (67). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

What language is Telstar: The Joe Meek Story in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in United Kingdom.

In how many countries can I watch Telstar: The Joe Meek Story?

5CADKGBIEUS

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Telstar: The Joe Meek Story in 5 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does Telstar: The Joe Meek Story use?

I Am the BandThe DitzOnly One NameDarkest HourAmbiguously GayAx-CrazyBig FunExpository Hairstyle ChangeThe BeardAtomic F-BombUn-personUngrateful Bastardand 8 more

TV Tropes lists 20 storytelling tropes for Telstar: The Joe Meek Story, including I Am the Band, The Ditz, Only One Name.