Passes the Bechdel test
Almost Famous
2000. Directed by Cameron Crowe, written by Cameron Crowe.
The Bechdel test
Bechdel score
3 / 3
Passes
-
Yes
1. At least two women
22 women characters. 12 of them speak. -
Yes
2. Who talk to each other
In 7 scenes out of 181. -
Yes
3. About something besides a man
In those scenes, our script parser found no man named. See the scene.
Second opinion
Agree bechdeltest.com readers give it 3 out of 3.
The film
The early 1970s. William Miller is 15-years old and an aspiring rock journalist. He gets a job writing for Rolling Stone magazine. His first assignment: tour with the band Stillwater and write about the experience. Miller will get to see what goes on behind the scenes in a famous band, including the moments when things fall apart, and for him, it will be a period of new experiences and finding himself.
- Released
- 22 Sep 2000
- Genres
- Adventure, Comedy, Drama
- Rated
- R
- IMDb
- 7.9 / 10
- Metascore
- 90 / 100
- Awards
- Won 1 Oscar. 54 wins & 103 nominations total
- Elsewhere
- View on IMDb
Starring, by lines spoken
- Women
- Men
- Not in the cast list
- Bigger name, more lines
- William 286 lines, man
- Russell 189 lines, man
- Elaine 87 lines, woman
- Penny 80 lines, woman
- Jeff 57 lines, man
- Dick 52 lines, man
- Anita 42 lines, woman
- Penny Lane 35 lines, woman
- Polexia 30 lines, woman
- Ben 28 lines, man
Full cast, 92 people
- Billy Crudup as Russell Hammond
- Frances McDormand as Elaine Miller
- Kate Hudson as Penny Lane
- Jason Lee as Jeff Bebe
- Patrick Fugit as William Miller
- Zooey Deschanel as Anita Miller
- Michael Angarano as Young William
- Anna Paquin as Polexia Aphrodisia
- Fairuza Balk as Sapphire
- Noah Taylor as Dick Roswell
- John Fedevich as Ed Vallencourt
- Mark Kozelek as Larry Fellows
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs
- Liz Stauber as Leslie
- Jimmy Fallon as Dennis Hope
- Olivia Rosewood as Beth from Denver
- Bijou Phillips as Estrella Starr
- Alice Marie Crowe as Mrs. Deegan
- J.J. Cohen as Roadie Scully
- Gary Kohn as Roadie Gregg
- Ray Porter as Roadie Mick
- Mark Pellington as Freddy
- Eion Bailey as Jann Wenner
- Terry Chen as Ben Fong-Torres
- Rainn Wilson as David Felton
- Erin Foley as Alison the Fact Checker
- Jesse Caron as Darryl
- Charles Walker as Principal
- Jay Baruchel as Vic Munoz
- Pauley Perrette as Alice Wisdom
- Peter Frampton as Reg
- Zack Ward as The Legendary Red Dog
- Mitch Hedberg as Eagles Road Manager
- Devin Corey as The Who Road Manager
- Pete Droge as Hyatt Singer
- Elaine Summers as Hyatt Singer
- Eric Stonestreet as Sheldon the Desk Clerk
- Marc Maron as Angry Promoter
- Shane Willard as Ticket Scalper
- Chris McElprang as Aaron Amedori
- John Patrick Amedori as John Patrick Amedori
- Kate Peckham as Quiet Girl
- Julia Decker as Waving Girl
- Brian Vaughan as Real Topeka Kid
- Anthony Martelli as Poolside Provocateur
- Zach Clairville as Acid Kid
- Ian Ridgeway as Topeka Partier
- Isaac Curtiss as Topeka Partier
- Chris Lennon Davis as Topeka Partier
- Scott N. Stevens as Co-Pilot
- Kevin Sussman as Lenny
- Reathel Bean as Warwick Hotel Clerk
- Tom Riis Farrell as Plaza Doctor
- Laura Bastianelli as Nurse
- Samuel Aaron Roberson as High School Band
- Brian Andreasen as High School Band
- Jared Hren as High School Band
- Mary Dragicevich as High School Band
- Aura Barr as High School Band
- Daniel Wilson as Journalism Teacher
- William Barillaro as Bus Driver
- Holly Maples as Flight Attendant
- Matt Griesser as PSA Co-Pilot
- Susan Yeagley as Have a Nice Day Stewardess
- Nicole Spector as Hippie Girl at Airport
- Patrick Irmen as Wanna Get High Guy
- Nick Swardson as Insane Bowie Fan
- Cindy Weber as Shocked Elevator Family
- Kris Weber as Shocked Elevator Family
- Kimberly Weber as Shocked Elevator Family
- Kristin Weber as Shocked Elevator Family
- Samer Sourakli as Mustache Boy
- Michelle Moretti as Swingo's Desk Clerk
- Ana Maria Quintana as Arizona Housekeeper
- Lisa Buchignani as Arizona Housekeeper
- Andrew Briedis as Boy with Bike (uncredited)
- Greg Bronson as Upscale Pedestrian (uncredited)
- Mark Cirillo as Bowie Groupie (uncredited)
- Cindy Crowe as Anita - Startled Family Member (uncredited)
- Wayne Doba as Leonard Barr (uncredited)
- Bodhi Elfman as Alice's Manager (uncredited)
- Elizabeth Friedman as Groupie (uncredited)
- Kyle Gass as Quince Allen (uncredited)
- Eric Rosenberg as David Bowie's Manager (uncredited)
- Casey Slade as Hardened Roadie (uncredited)
- Marc Antonio Pritchett as Superfly Pimp (uncredited)
- Jimmy Star as Rocker (uncredited)
- Christine Vienna as Groupie (uncredited)
- Larry Weisberg as Frampton Concertgoer (uncredited)
- Jann Wenner as Legend in Cab (uncredited)
- Patrick Williams as Roadie (uncredited)
- Evis Xheneti as Hippie Girl (uncredited)
Who talks, scene by scene
Lines of dialogue in every 4 scenes, start to finish. Women above the line, men below. 3% of lines come from characters we couldn't match to the cast list and aren't shown.
Women
Men
Scene 1 Scene 181
Hover, tap or tab to a bar to see those scenes: where they happen and who's talking.
Show the numbers
| Scenes | Women's lines | Men's lines |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 to 8 | 36 | 5 |
| 9 to 12 | 31 | 17 |
| 13 to 16 | 6 | 1 |
| 17 to 20 | 0 | 2 |
| 21 to 24 | 5 | 37 |
| 25 to 28 | 32 | 58 |
| 29 to 32 | 19 | 36 |
| 33 to 36 | 10 | 31 |
| 37 to 40 | 26 | 19 |
| 41 to 44 | 4 | 21 |
| 45 to 48 | 1 | 10 |
| 49 to 52 | 18 | 7 |
| 53 to 56 | 3 | 1 |
| 57 to 60 | 6 | 11 |
| 61 to 64 | 23 | 35 |
| 65 to 68 | 2 | 2 |
| 69 to 72 | 8 | 15 |
| 73 to 76 | 0 | 28 |
| 77 to 80 | 11 | 23 |
| 81 to 84 | 0 | 5 |
| 85 to 88 | 4 | 37 |
| 89 to 92 | 0 | 28 |
| 93 to 96 | 0 | 16 |
| 97 to 100 | 1 | 13 |
| 101 to 104 | 11 | 11 |
| 105 to 108 | 2 | 3 |
| 109 to 112 | 9 | 22 |
| 113 to 116 | 0 | 2 |
| 117 to 120 | 6 | 16 |
| 121 to 124 | 0 | 27 |
| 125 to 128 | 0 | 13 |
| 129 to 132 | 24 | 24 |
| 133 to 136 | 1 | 3 |
| 137 to 140 | 1 | 18 |
| 141 to 144 | 1 | 13 |
| 145 to 148 | 2 | 9 |
| 149 to 152 | 3 | 5 |
| 153 to 156 | 5 | 7 |
| 157 to 160 | 6 | 6 |
| 161 to 164 | 4 | 46 |
| 165 to 168 | 5 | 17 |
| 169 to 172 | 1 | 39 |
| 173 to 176 | 23 | 17 |
| 177 to 180 | 3 | 17 |
| 181 to 181 | 2 | 0 |
The evidence
- Straight from the script
- Counted from the script and the credits
Tap an exhibit to open it.
Exhibit A: the passing scenes
The scene our parser counted as passing, word for word.
ELAINE: What's a "Narc?" ANITA: A Narcotics Officer! ELAINE: Well what's wrong with that?
ANITA: I want to play you a song that explains why I'm leaving, and try to listen. ELAINE: We can't talk? We have to listen to rock music?
ELAINE: How can she leave such a loving family? ANITA: One day you'll be cool. ANITA: Look under your bed. It'll set you free. ELAINE: She'll be back.
PENNY: Please. I throw the little ones back. POLEXIA: Ian Hunter is a fucking asshole!
POLEXIA: Stop them? You were her excuse for coming here. PENNY: I need ice! POLEXIA: I just worry about people using her. You know? 'Cause she brings out the good side in everybody else, but what do they do for her? Life kill…
Exhibit B: every 100 lines
Out of every 100 lines with a known speaker, 32 are women's.
356 lines from women, 773 from men.
- Women
- Men
Exhibit C: who's in it
22 women and 45 men in the cast. 12 women and 36 men from it get lines.
Characters
With lines
- Women
- Men
Exhibit D: who gets heard
The first woman speaks at line 2 of 1,164.
The longest stretch with no woman speaking runs 93 lines.
Every line of dialogue, first to last
- First line by a woman
- Longest stretch with no woman speaking
Words spoken
Women speak 32% of the words (4,590), men 68% (9,565).
Exhibit E: the test the other way
Two named men talk to each other about something besides a woman. It passes the reverse test.
Conversations between two named characters
Two women
31
Two men
73
Exhibit F: behind the camera
4 of the 12 people in these jobs are women.
Across the whole crew, 29% of the people whose gender is listed are women.
- Directed by
- Cameron Crowe (man)
- Written by
- Cameron Crowe (man)
- Produced by
- Lisa Stewart (woman), Scott M. Martin (gender not listed), Cameron Crowe (man), Ian Bryce (man)
- Shot by
- John Toll (man)
- Edited by
- Saar Klein (man), Joe Hutshing (man)
- Music by
- Nancy Wilson (woman)
- Costumes by
- Betsy Heimann (woman)
- Cast by
- Gail Levin (woman)
The crew, department by department
-
Costume & Make-Up
9 women, 6 men, 6 not listed
-
Art
5 women, 5 men, 7 not listed
-
Camera
1 women, 6 men, 8 not listed
-
Production
2 women, 10 men, 1 not listed
-
Lighting
0 women, 3 men, 6 not listed
-
Sound
1 women, 6 men
-
Directing
0 women, 2 men, 3 not listed
-
Other crew
0 women, 1 men, 2 not listed
- Women
- Men
- Gender not listed on TMDB
Exhibit G: how old the stars were
Women: 26 on average. Men: 24 on average.
The top-billed cast, at the film's release.
Women
Anna Paquin 18, Zooey Deschanel 20, Kate Hudson 21, Fairuza Balk 26, Frances McDormand 43
Men
Michael Angarano 12, Patrick Fugit 17, Jason Lee 30, Noah Taylor 31, Billy Crudup 32
Exhibit H: the money
It made 79% of what it cost.
- Budget
- $60 million
- Box office
- $47.4 million
From TMDB, not adjusted for inflation.
About this analysis
Our parser read the script: 181 scenes and 1,164 lines of dialogue. The bechdeltest.com rating comes from that site’s readers. How the test works
