What is the Metascore for The Pianist?

The Pianist has a Metascore of 85 out of 100 on Celluloid.

Where can I watch The Pianist?

The Pianist is available on Prime Video. Availability varies by region — check your local streaming guide.

What countries is The Pianist streaming in?

The Pianist streams on U-NEXT in Japan; Lionsgate Play in Malaysia; StudioCanal Presents in the United Kingdom; Prime Video in the United States. Subscription availability only; rental and purchase options may differ.

The Pianist Review (2002) — 88% Celluloid Score

Item: The Pianist
Rating: 4.5
Author: Kaiser Khan

Directed by Roman Polanski · 2002 · Last reviewed August 31, 2026

LLM fact sheet (.md)

Answer Summary

The Pianist (2002) earns a 88% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict

Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.

88%

Celluloid Score Recommended

4-input transparent breakdown

95% Editorial Rating

96% Audience snapshot · excluded

85 Metascore

★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4.3

8.5 IMDb /10

Watch Trailer

Runtime: 2h 30m
Cast: Adrien Brody , Thomas Kretschmann , Frank Finlay , Maureen Lipman , Emilia Fox , Ed Stoppard , Julia Rayner , Jessica Kate Meyer , Michał Żebrowski , Wanja Mues
Streaming: Prime Video
Country: France
Language: English

Official theatrical poster for The Pianist (2002)

Theatrical release

Where to watch

Prime Video

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Where to watch The Pianist by country

Country	Streaming on
Japan	U-NEXT
Malaysia	Lionsgate Play
United Kingdom	StudioCanal Presents
United States	Prime Video

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (95/100).
Audiences widely enjoyed it (96%).
Metascore signals universal acclaim (85/100).
Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.3/5).
IMDb users score it 8.5/10.

Best for

Viewers who want a well-regarded drama, war pick
Epic-length viewers who want a big-screen experience

Not ideal for

Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Is The Pianist worth watching?

Yes — The Pianist earns a 88% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

Celluloid Verdict

The Pianist — Palme d'Or at Cannes 2002. A landmark festival winner on Celluloid.
Celluloid editorial verdict

Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

What is The Pianist about?

The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of the war-torn city.

Watch the Trailer

Critic Reviews

critic The Pianist

The Pianist (2002) Review

★★★★½ 4.5/5

Roman Polanski's The Pianist (2002) remains a defining Drama landmark from France, with scores that still shape how audiences discover the title.

Essential viewing — a certified classic.

The Pianist stills

Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

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