Maborosi

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Maborosi

1995,

1h 49m,

Mystery & Thriller

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Watchlist

100%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Despite her outwardly happy and tranquil life as a wife and new mother, Yukimo (Makiko Esumi) is regularly troubled by a horrific nightmare about the death of her grandmother. When tragedy strikes her husband, Ikuo (Tadanobu Asano), the stress forces Yukimo into hermit-like solitude until a kindly widower (Takashi Naitô) attempts to draw her from her shell. This is the first scripted film by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda, who had previously been known for his documentaries.

Critics Consensus

An understated examination of grief, Maboroshi is a deeply moving drama thanks to Koreeda's patient direction and achingly naturalistic performances by its impressive ensemble.

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Mark Sinker

Sight & Sound

Apr 26, 2019

The camera rarely moves and yet there are images here as strikingly lovely as any you've seen and others as sweetly alive.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Apr 24, 2019

4/5

It is a sombre and painful drama, enacted with reserve.

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Bilge Ebiri

Village Voice

Jul 21, 2018

Each character moves and speaks differently, shining with the complex inner life of a real person with real needs, real memories, real thoughts.

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CJ Sheu

Critics at Large

Jun 30, 2020

It's a very Japanese understanding of suicide: as not bluntly tragic or a waste, but alluring, mysterious, not subject to total comprehension ... the state of grief itself.

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Ellie Lucas

From the Front Row

Jun 3, 2019

3.5/4

A film of feelings and textures that establishes character without the need for traditional plot structures.

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Amber Wilkinson

Eye for Film

May 2, 2019

3.5/5

Generally, this film engages more intellectually with emotion than Kore-eda's later more heartfelt work.

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Albus L

Apr 19, 2019

Stunningly beautiful cinematography and a good soundtrack can't disguise the fact that the pacing is non-existent and there is not enough of a story here to make a good film.

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Finn W

Feb 17, 2019

I am glad "Maborosi" wasn't my first Hirokazu Koreeda film, because watching his masterpieces first, put me in a better mood to understand his first work and I kind of knew what to expect and what to look out for. The elements of his style are already here, but this for me was more difficult to watch mostly because of its slow pace. Also the circle does not close so well like it does in all the other I watched. I am still very glad to have seen it and I will finish his filmography no matter what. as Koreeda probably entered in the top 5 of my favorite directors.

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Leia R

Sep 4, 2018

Absolutely exquisite in pretty much every frame. This is a hypnotic, entrancing and beautiful film on grief and confusion and something that really sticks with you due to its layered simplicity and restraint in execution. Reminiscent of Ozu but with its own integrity in unique storytelling as well.

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Hirokazu Koreeda

Director

Makiko Esumi

Yumiko

Takashi Naitô

Tamio

Tadanobu Asano

Ikuo

Midori Kiuchi

Michiko

Akira Emoto

Yoshihiro

Divertimento

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Synopsis

Despite her outwardly happy and tranquil life as a wife and new mother, Yukimo (Makiko Esumi) is regularly troubled by a horrific nightmare about the death of her grandmother. When tragedy strikes her husband, Ikuo (Tadanobu Asano), the stress forces Yukimo into hermit-like solitude until a kindly widower (Takashi Naitô) attempts to draw her from her shell. This is the first scripted film by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda, who had previously been known for his documentaries.

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Producer: Naoe Gozu
Screenwriter: Yoshihisa Ogita, Teru Miyamoto
Distributor: Milestone Film & Video
Production Co: TV Man Union
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 6, 1995, Original
Runtime: 1h 49m

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