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Gracing the top three on our list of the best films of 2024, Nickel Boys is truly transformative. An adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, it relies heavily on first-person POV shots to tell the story of a violent reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida from the perspective of its protagonists. Mashable’s reviewer called it “exquisite and powerful” and we’re unsurprised that it nabbed nominations for both Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at this year’s Oscars.
Already available to purchase on digital, Nickel Boys has now made its streaming debut on Feb. 28. Here’s everything you need to know in order to tune in.
What is Nickel Boys about?
Adapted from the 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead — which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction — Nickel Boys follows 16-year-old Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse) and his friend Turner (Brandon Wilson). A promising advanced high schooler, Elwood finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, leading to false charges and imprisonment at a juvenile reform home called the Nickel Academy.
“A young adherent of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Elwood’s idealism quickly clashes with Nickel’s harsh reality of segregation and corporal punishment. However, he also finds guidance and companionship in Turner, a fellow student hailing from Houston whose more upbeat demeanor and slick survival tips exist in close proximity to his own fears of the school’s ruthless staff,” Mashable’s reviewer summarizes.
Get a closer look at the much-lauded film in the official trailer:
Is Nickel Boys worth watching?
“Stunning” doesn’t even begin to cover it,” writes Mashable reviewer Siddhant Adlakha, “but RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys is one of those rare Hollywood productions that feels aesthetically transformative.” From the powerfully adapted story to the uniquely filmed first-person perspective shots, RaMell Ross’ film is one of our favorite movies of 2024. And we’re not alone in the sentiment — it’s also nominated for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars. It’s garnered a 90 percent critic rating and 76 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes as well, making it certified fresh.
“Few narrative feature debuts have felt so poignant and so richly formed that they practically speak their own language, as Nickel Boys does, while also managing to articulate its drama clearly and instinctively. The result is a dynamic work of resilience and self-actualization,” Adlkaha concludes.
Mashable Top Stories
Read our full review of Nickel Boys.
How to watch Nickel Boys at home
Credit: Amazon MGM Studios
Two months after its theatrical debut, Nickel Boys officially made its video-on-demand debut on sites like Prime Video and Fandango at Home (Vudu). You can purchase it for your digital collection at any of the retailers below as of Feb. 11. You’ll also be able to rent it from the same retailers at a later date.
If you prefer to stream the film instead, keep reading to learn more.
As of Feb. 11, you can buy Nickel Boys at the following retailers:
Is Nickel Boys streaming?
Nickel Boys made its streaming debut on MGM+ on Feb. 28, 2025. MGM+ subscriptions start at $6.99 per month, but we’ve rounded up the best ways to save money on your subscription below.
If Nickel Boys follows a similar streaming schedule as fellow Amazon MGM Studios films Challengers and Blink Twice, it will likely expand its streaming release to Prime Video in a couple of months. We’ll keep you updated if and when that happens.
Can I get MGM+ for free?
New to MGM+? You can enjoy a week of streaming for free with a trial through MGM+ directly or as an add-on via Prime Video. The add-on option is great for Prime members looking to condense their streaming services (and payments) into one central location. If you’d rather keep things separate, you’re better off signing up through MGM+ directly. Either way, if you align your seven-day trial to the release of Nickel Boys, you’ll be able to stream it for free. Just remember to cancel before the week is up.
The best MGM+ streaming deals
Save 30%: MGM+ annual subscription
As a smaller streamer compared to, say, Prime Video or Netflix, MGM+ isn’t brimming with great deal options. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. If you want to save some cash, your best option is to sign up for the annual subscription versus the monthly subscription. You’ll save 30% by paying for a year upfront, which is a pretty big savings compared to annual subscriptions from other streamers. At $58.99 per year, you’re paying less than $5 per month (reg. $6.99 per month).
Save $1.99/month: Sign up for MGM+ via Sling TV
If you’d rather just sign up for a single month and call it quits, subscribing to MGM+ through Sling TV can save you $1.99. No need to pay for the base plan of Sling. Just head over to the MGM landing page on Sling’s website and you’ll be able to sign up for only $5 per month. If you do want to sign up for a base package through Sling (Orange or Blue), you’ll unlock a free month of MGM+.
