Cottontail

Play trailer

2:06

Cottontail

Released Jun 7

1h 34m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

After the death of his wife, Kenzaburo (60s) and his son Toshi (30s) receive an unexpected letter from beyond the grave. Akiko, their wife and mother, asks them to scatter her ashes at the place she loved most as a child -- Lake Windermere in England. Surprised by this unexpected request, father and son are initially at loggerheads over their next steps. The two men, along with Toshi's wife Satsuki and young daughter Emi, eventually travel together to England from Tokyo to fulfil Akiko's final wish. But Kenzaburo keeps losing himself in memories of Akiko as his relationship with Toshi becomes increasingly fraught. With little knowledge of where he is going and barely any English, Kenzaburo abandons his family in London and heads to the Lake District on his own with Akiko's ashes. As he embarks on his quest, his memories of Akiko grow more painful. A lost and weary Kenzaburo stumbles onto the doorstep of a farmer, John, and his daughter Mary. With their help, Kenzaburo is finally able to set course once again toward Lake Windemere. But his true journey toward forgiveness and reconciliation will prove the hardest of all.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Daniel M. Kimmel

North Shore Movies

COTTONTAIL is a poignant tale of a Japanese widower taking his wife’s ashes to England on a final journey. Mostly, but not entirely, in Japanese with subtitles, it is about love and regret and trying to renew family bonds.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 16, 2024

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Film Obsessive

Because of the lucid callbacks to marital ups-and-downs and the pressing need for current familial healing, Cottontail is beautifully about far more than nervous foreigners venturing into an opposite landscape than their own homeland.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 9, 2024

Full Review

Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

Cottontail explores difficult and emotive themes, such as the death of loved ones, the fear of being a burden, estrangement, and assisted suicide. There are heartbreaking moments, but also times of lightness, joy, and hope.

Jul 7, 2024

Full Review

Al Alexander

Movies Thru the Spectrum

Can a mother’s adoration for Peter Rabbit impel an estranged father and son to go hopping down the bunny trail, hand in hand? Within the realm of the stilted family drama, “Cottontail,” the answer is a hippity-hoppity, yes!

Rated: B-

Jun 28, 2024

Full Review

Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

The narrative is meandering, but it's also deeply introspective, tapping into things people neglect to say as they conceal their emotions.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 11, 2024

Full Review

Mark Dujsik

Mark Reviews Movies

The success of this little but compelling tale is Dickinson's dedication to maintaining Kenzaburo's perspective throughout the film.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 7, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Scott H

Beautifully paced and well scripted.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/30/24

Full Review

Jamie H

Beautiful and incredibly emotional movie with fantastic performances.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/12/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Patrick Dickinson

Director

Lily Franky

Kenzaburo

Ryô Nishikido

Toshi

Tae Kimura

Akiko

Rin Takanashi

Satsuki

Yuri Tsunematsu

Akiko (Young)

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Cottontail: Trailer 1

2:06

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

After the death of his wife, Kenzaburo (60s) and his son Toshi (30s) receive an unexpected letter from beyond the grave. Akiko, their wife and mother, asks them to scatter her ashes at the place she loved most as a child -- Lake Windermere in England. Surprised by this unexpected request, father and son are initially at loggerheads over their next steps. The two men, along with Toshi's wife Satsuki and young daughter Emi, eventually travel together to England from Tokyo to fulfil Akiko's final wish. But Kenzaburo keeps losing himself in memories of Akiko as his relationship with Toshi becomes increasingly fraught. With little knowledge of where he is going and barely any English, Kenzaburo abandons his family in London and heads to the Lake District on his own with Akiko's ashes. As he embarks on his quest, his memories of Akiko grow more painful. A lost and weary Kenzaburo stumbles onto the doorstep of a farmer, John, and his daughter Mary. With their help, Kenzaburo is finally able to set course once again toward Lake Windemere. But his true journey toward forgiveness and reconciliation will prove the hardest of all.

Director: Patrick Dickinson
Producer: Gabrielle Tana, Kôsuke Oshida, Carolyn Marks Blackwood, Hélène Théodoly
Screenwriter: Patrick Dickinson
Distributor: Level 33 Entertainment
Production Co: Magnolia Mae Films, Office Shirous, Brouhaha Entertainment, Written Rock Film, MBK Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 7, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 9, 2024
Runtime: 1h 34m

Most Popular at Home Now