Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

R

Now Playing

1 hr. 56 min.

Crime

Drama

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for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai: Trailer 1

List

84%

104 Reviews

Tomatometer

86%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker) is a contract killer, a master of his trade who can whirl a gun at warp speed and moves through this world like a phantom -- stealthy and evanescent. In the spirit of the samurai, he has pledged his loyalty to a small time mobster named Louie (John Tormey) who saved his life many years before.

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Critics Consensus

An innovative blend of samurai and gangster lifestyles.

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Spencer P

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is a film that differentiates itself from any other mob/action film. This film almost reminds me of Leon: The Professional in its pacing and stylistic choices. Not the greatest film of all time, but definitely worth a watch, you will not leave disappointed.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/25/24

Full Review

Murray C

Excellent and unusual yarn about a contract killer who follows the way of the Samurai to the letter. Despite the apparently heavy theme, it's surprisingly good fun, with some oddball characters and comically inept mobsters.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/10/24

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Karl O

It's just self consciously awful. It may have carried a little Jarmusch cool back in the day but that ice had melted,

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/27/23

Full Review

Vito P

A deconstruction of the gangster movie genre through various typical elements of Jarmusch's cinema and, in general, a blend of genres. Here, the ugly, old, and ignorant criminal characters stand out. The very likable protagonist and his ethics, along with a passion for a culture genuinely explored without falling into banality and rhetoric, add depth.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/13/23

Full Review

Jelisije J

Ghost Dog is one of the most unexpected enjoyable hit man movies that I have ever seen.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/20/23

Full Review

Logan M

An innovative film that is an homage to classic cinema, but still keeps a modern style.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/12/23

Full Review

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Jim Jarmusch

Director

Forest Whitaker

Ghost Dog

John Tormey

Louie

Cliff Gorman

Sonny Valerio

Henry Silva

Ray Vargo

Isaach de Bankolé

Raymond

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Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai: Trailer 1

1:02

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

what might sound like an ordinary gangster picture is in fact a rich amalgam of crisscrossing genres, where East meets West and culture itself follows more than one Way.

Nov 17, 2023

Full Review

Kambole Campbell

One Room With A View

Even when aware of all the strange, disparate elements, it still surprises.

Aug 25, 2018

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

At once a tribute to traditional notions of honour, loyalty, friendship and professionalism, and a stylish, ironic pastiche inspired by the likes of Melville and Suzuki, it's very funny, insightful, and highly original.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Farah Cheded

A Good Movie To Watch

It almost feels like we’re in another world: Jarmusch [blurs] out everything else so the movie becomes a meditation on the impulse to moralize one’s misdoings by subscribing to rigid definitions of “honor.” [...] A bone-deep reflective masterpiece.

Nov 25, 2023

Full Review

Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

Jarmusch mixes the two styles for a very street-level appeal...

Mar 2, 2023

Full Review

Jonathan Ringen

Out Magazine

The film's calculated weirdness can't redeem a stale story.

May 27, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker) is a contract killer, a master of his trade who can whirl a gun at warp speed and moves through this world like a phantom -- stealthy and evanescent. In the spirit of the samurai, he has pledged his loyalty to a small time mobster named Louie (John Tormey) who saved his life many years before.

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Screenwriter: Jim Jarmusch
Distributor: Artisan Entertainment
Production Co: Le Studio Canal +, Pandora Filmproduktion GmbH, Plywood Productions, Bac Films, JVC Entertainment, Degeto Film
Rating: R (Strong Violence|Language)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 18, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 12, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.3M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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