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The Black Balloon

2008·Movie·PG-13·97 min·6.4(95)

Normal is relative.

Thomas is turning 16. His dad's in the army and they've just moved to a town in New South Wales; his mom is pregnant; his older brother, Charlie, who's autistic, has his own adolescent sexual issues. Thomas finds Charlie an embarrassment in public, so when Thomas is attracted to Jackie, a girl in his swim class, Charlie presents any number of obstacles when she drops by their house, when the three of them go for a walk, and during a family birthday dinner. Can Thomas find a way to enter the world of teen romance and still be his brother's keeper, or is Charlie's disability going to prove more than Thomas can handle?

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Where to watch The Black Balloon in United States

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Click a service to open The Black Balloon there. Availability last verified on July 11, 2026.

Where is The Black Balloon streaming around the world?

CountryStreaming onRent / Buy
United KingdomAmazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, PlexApple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
AustraliaApple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies

About The Black Balloon

The Black Balloon is a 2008 English-language drama film directed by Elissa Down. The cast is led by Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Toni Collette. It has a runtime of 1h 37m. Viewers rate it 6.4/10 across 100 ratings.

The Black Balloon was produced by Black Balloon Productions and Icon Productions and made in Australia and United States of America. It was released on March 8, 2008, and carries a PG-13 certification. Made on a budget of about $5 million, it went on to gross $5 million worldwide.

Director
Elissa Down
Writers
Jimmy Jack, Elissa Down
Release date
March 8, 2008
Original language
English
Age rating
PG-13
Status
Released
Country
Australia, United States of America
Budget
$5 million
Box office
$5 million
Production
Black Balloon Productions, Icon Productions
#sydney, australia#birthday#autism#family dinner#swimming#first love#social services#woman director

The Black Balloon cast & crew

The Black Balloon was directed by Elissa Down and written by Jimmy Jack and Elissa Down.

The cast features Rhys Wakefield as Thomas Mollison, Luke Ford as Charlie Mollison, Toni Collette as Maggie Mollison, Erik Thomson as Simon Mollison, Gemma Ward as Jackie Masters, and Sarah Woods as Woman Next Door.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Michael Yezerski, cinematography is by Denson Baker, and it was produced by Tristram Miall and Toni Collette.

Is The Black Balloon worth watching?

The Black Balloon holds an audience score of 6.4/10 from 95 ratings, a solidly received drama films.

At 1h 37m, it's an easy, time-light watch.

If you enjoy drama, The Black Balloon is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch The Black Balloon

The Black Balloon isn't currently available on major streaming services in United States. We track availability continuously — add it to your watchlist and we'll keep an eye out.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.

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Cast of The Black Balloon

Rhys Wakefield

Rhys Wakefield

Thomas Mollison

Luke Ford

Luke Ford

Charlie Mollison

Toni Collette

Toni Collette

Maggie Mollison

Erik Thomson

Erik Thomson

Simon Mollison

Gemma Ward

Gemma Ward

Jackie Masters

No photo

Sarah Woods

Woman Next Door

Sam Fraser

Sam Fraser

Kid Next Door

No photo

Zelie Bullen

Mother in Van

Anthony Phelan

Anthony Phelan

Mr. Masters

No photo

Deborah Piper

Janet-Social Worker

Henry Nixon

Henry Nixon

Trevor-Social Worker

Rebecca Massey

Rebecca Massey

Miss Babb

The Black Balloon — FAQs

Where can I watch The Black Balloon in United States?

The Black Balloon is not currently available on major streaming services in United States. Availability changes often — check back soon.

What language is The Black Balloon in?

The Black Balloon is originally in English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.

How long is The Black Balloon?

The Black Balloon runs 1 hours 37 minutes (97 minutes).

What is The Black Balloon rated?

The Black Balloon is rated PG-13. It holds a 6.4/10 audience score from 95 ratings.

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