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Cherry Blossoms

Play trailer Poster for Cherry Blossoms Released Jan 16, 2009 2h 7m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
79% Tomatometer 58 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Learning that her husband, Rudi (Elmar Wepper), has a terminal illness, Trudi (Hannelore Elsner) hides the knowledge from him and persuades him to visit their son in Japan. During the course of their journey, she dies in her sleep -- before telling Rudi of his impending death. Grief-stricken, he continues on toward Japan, finally finding peace at Mount Fuji.

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Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossoms

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Critics Consensus

This mature and eloquent meditation on grief and loss sports measured performances and moments of humor.

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Critics Reviews

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Joshua Katzman Chicago Reader This may lack the understated pathos of Ozu's somber masterpiece, but it's still a moving meditation on aging and loss, and Wepper and Elsner are unforgettable. Jul 30, 2015 Full Review Edward Porter Times (UK) The example set by Ozu's best works goes unheeded as the film becomes too cutesy and forced to be moving. Rated: 2/5 Apr 9, 2009 Full Review James Christopher Times (UK) Ozu's handling of the frosty schism between awkward parents and their ghastly offspring resulted in a heartbreaking piece of cinema. This lovely update is not quite in the same tragi-comic league, but it's authentic enough to prick tears. Rated: 4/5 Apr 3, 2009 Full Review Nikki Baughan Roll Credits Indeed, the film may be a thoughtful meditation on the fragility of life, but it's also a celebration on the powerful, enduring strength of love. Rated: 4/5 Oct 31, 2019 Full Review David Harris Spectrum Culture While the film's emotional poignancy is undeniable, its derivative nature gets in the way of becoming a complete work of its own. Rated: 2.5/5 Oct 3, 2019 Full Review Derek Smith Tiny Mix Tapes I am in favor of films remaining enigmatic or having an air of mystery about them, but Cherry Blossoms crosses the line into aimlessness. Rated: 2.5/5 Oct 11, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Peter G This is a comment not on CHERRY BLOSSOMS which I enjoyed but the follow up CHERRY BLOSSOMS & DEMONS which, IMO, is even more affecting. The character Karl is a mess & the films combining of magical realism with his everyday struggles held my attention throughout. Perhaps this is not the place to comment here as this this is a sequel to the first film but the efforts of the character YU to try & show her love for Karl despite his ambivalence in dealing with his particular behavior concerning his family & his own uncertainty regarding his feelings for YU, makes for a touching & bittersweet film that is well worth one's attention. If rotten tomatoes had a place for comments regarding this unusual movie I would welcome posting this under the title: CHERRY BLOSSOMS & DEMONS if that ever comes to,pass. I leave that up to rotten tomatoes. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/04/24 Full Review Audience Member Honestly this is such a touching little movie about grief that I couldn't stop myself from crying a bit during it. It had its weak moments, as I expected it had a few racist scenes that I absolutely hated (the strip club and the massage.. just. NO), but I just feels like that this movie gets it, re: grief, and I happened to watch it before a big death anniversary to it just... resonated with me. The wife gives up on her dreams so she could please her family more, the husband is kind of emotionally absent, it kind of feels like a too known story, and Ii don't think it's fair to blame him or paint him as bad. Some people are just like that, they're not 'there', they're missing out on life and on being engaged in life because routine is easier and taking everything as it is for granted is the most comfortable way to live, so you really can't deem anyone bad for that, it's just sad. But what happens when it stops? And life gives you a slap on the face and you wake up to realise it is always a mistake to take stuff for granted, that you really have to LIVE, not just go through the motions of life in a very passive way. Rudi's journey and his grief over his wife was just so touching because you could see all that, you could see that wake up call, you could see how he realised how much he has missed and how much she has missed. The fact he is wearing her clothes to walk her around the places she always wanted to see, the fact he goes through all of this not knowing he is dying too (and therefore, they will be reunited soon) just to give her these experiences she never got to have, the fact he views her as being a part of him now after she is gone... this is just such a fantastic depiction of grief imo. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member It's a quiet, very beautiful film about the duality of love and death. I love this movie. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent; it is great from beginning to end. Loved it! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member What a surprising film. I'm still drying my eyes. A moving look at loss and grief with strong performances by the whole cast. At times poetic, at times brutally honest. This small, intimate film packs a punch. Don't forget where you tied your handkerchief. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Naturalistic film about death and grief as we follow a man that's about too die. The wife knows it and she want's to treat him extra nicely and make sure he get's to have a lovely time. Suddenly, she dies. The kids of the family seem to dig their mother a lot more than they dig their father, so when she dies they struggle to deal with the devastated man. This is a sad and touching film. It looks a bit amateur-like, and I like that look. It's not like that at all but the photography feels very intimate at times, almost like a filmed diary. It's quite weird at times but always on point and the main thing stays strong. I can't connect with the actors and I fail to have the greatest sympathy for the man. It also takes a while to kick off, as the last parts are the absolute best parts. The sweet man is put in a wrong view, for everyone except from the viwers. That's a nice trick. A beautiful film about mourning, that lacks something that I can't point out so easily. 7.5 out of 10 butoh dancers. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Cherry Blossoms

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Movie Info

Synopsis Learning that her husband, Rudi (Elmar Wepper), has a terminal illness, Trudi (Hannelore Elsner) hides the knowledge from him and persuades him to visit their son in Japan. During the course of their journey, she dies in her sleep -- before telling Rudi of his impending death. Grief-stricken, he continues on toward Japan, finally finding peace at Mount Fuji.
Director
Doris Dörrie
Producer
Harald Kügler, Molly von Fürstenberg
Screenwriter
Doris Dörrie
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Production Co
Olga-Film GmbH
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 16, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 13, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$104.5K
Runtime
2h 7m
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