The Five Heartbeats
In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along the way, however, the guys learn many hard lessons about the reality of the music industry.
Where to watch The Five Heartbeats in United States
Amazon Video
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At HomeClick a service to open The Five Heartbeats there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Five Heartbeats streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| United Kingdom | — | Apple TV Store |
| Canada | — | Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| France | — | Amazon Video |
About The Five Heartbeats
The Five Heartbeats is a 1991 English-language drama and music film directed by Robert Townsend. The cast is led by Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon. It has a runtime of 2h 1m. Viewers rate it 7.3/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video and Google Play Movies.
The Five Heartbeats was produced by 20th Century Fox and made in United States of America. It was released on March 29, 1991, and carries a R certification.
- Director
- Robert Townsend
- Writers
- Keenen Ivory Wayans, Robert Townsend
- Release date
- March 29, 1991
- Original language
- English
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- United States of America
- Production
- 20th Century Fox
The Five Heartbeats cast & crew
The Five Heartbeats was directed by Robert Townsend and written by Keenen Ivory Wayans and Robert Townsend.
The cast features Robert Townsend as Duck, Michael Wright as Eddie, Leon as J.T., Harry Lennix as Dresser, Tico Wells as Choirboy, and Diahann Carroll as Eleanor Potter.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Stanley Clarke, cinematography is by Bill Dill, and it was produced by Loretha C. Jones and Robert Townsend.
Is The Five Heartbeats worth watching?
The Five Heartbeats holds an audience score of 7.3/10 from 73 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 2h 1m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama and music, The Five Heartbeats is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Five Heartbeats
The Five Heartbeats isn't on a subscription service in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home.
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 Five Heartbeats
Robert Townsend
Duck
Michael Wright
Eddie
Leon
J.T.
Harry Lennix
Dresser
Tico Wells
Choirboy
Diahann Carroll
Eleanor Potter
Harold Nicholas
Sarge
John Canada Terrell
Michael 'Flash' Turner
Chuck Patterson
Jimmy Potter
Hawthorne James
Big Red
Roy Fegan
Bird
Troy Byer
Baby Doll
The Five Heartbeats — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Five Heartbeats in United States?
The Five Heartbeats is not on subscription streaming in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Google Play Movies and YouTube.
▸What language is The Five Heartbeats in?
The Five Heartbeats is originally in English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Five Heartbeats?
The Five Heartbeats runs 2 hours 1 minutes (121 minutes).
▸What is The Five Heartbeats rated?
The Five Heartbeats is rated R. It holds a 7.3/10 audience score from 73 ratings.
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