The Eel

Released May 12, 1997

1h 56m

Drama

List

81%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

82%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

Freed after spending eight years in prison for killing his unfaithful wife in a jealous rage, Takuro Yamashita (Koji Yakusho) opens a barber shop and spends his free time communing with the pet eel he got while in prison. One day, he saves a young woman named Keiko Hattori (Misa Shimizu) from committing suicide, and offers her a job in his shop. Despite the pair's growing mutual attraction, Takuro's enduring guilt over his wife's murder obstructs the growth of their relationship.

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: A-

May 23, 2013

Full Review

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Unpredictable and captivating.

Feb 14, 2001

Full Review

Paul Tatara

CNN.com

I was once again stuck watching a movie that's solely about repressed passion, perhaps the least cinematic thing you could ever try to film.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 3/5

Oct 12, 2005

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 4/5

Aug 12, 2005

Full Review

Judith Egerton

Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)

Imamura composed The Eel with an artist's eye and takes his time, so don't expect a fast-paced American-style film.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 2, 2004

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Der B

This Movie was truly inspiring. I never watched anything like this before. I would give it an absolute 10/10. Anyone who hasn't watched this masterpiece of a movie is missing out on a lifetime experience. Every single scene in this beautiful piece of art is truly fascinating. Watching the main character evolve and socialize brought me to tears. If i could watch this movie the first time again, dear lord i would sell my soul. It is so beautiful.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Just like an eel, this movie is indeed slimy at first, but ironically doesn't give in to what the viewer's might expect.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Poetic, funny, gripping, The Eel is a masterpiece.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

All of the pieces might not fit together - particularly Yamashita's personal journey - but the central relationship and the climax alone make the film lovable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film (Imamura's second and final film to win a Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival) is living proof that Japan (alongside France) has reinvented cinema.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is the most perfect film I've seen.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

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Shôhei Imamura

Director

Kôji Yakusho

Takuro Yamashita

Misa Shimizu

Keiko Hattori

Fujio Tsuneta

Jiro Nakajima

Mitsuko Baishô

Misako Nakajima

Akira Emoto

Tamotsu Takasaki

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Synopsis

Freed after spending eight years in prison for killing his unfaithful wife in a jealous rage, Takuro Yamashita (Koji Yakusho) opens a barber shop and spends his free time communing with the pet eel he got while in prison. One day, he saves a young woman named Keiko Hattori (Misa Shimizu) from committing suicide, and offers her a job in his shop. Despite the pair's growing mutual attraction, Takuro's enduring guilt over his wife's murder obstructs the growth of their relationship.

Director: Shôhei Imamura
Producer: Kazuyoshi Okuyama
Screenwriter: Shôhei Imamura, Daisuke Tengan, Motofumi Tomikawa, Takashi Yoshimura, Akira Yoshimura
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): May 12, 1997, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $413.8K
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)