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Half of a Yellow Sun

Play trailer Poster for Half of a Yellow Sun R 2014 1h 53m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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50% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 36% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Twin sisters (Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose) from a wealthy Nigerian family take wildly different paths in life, but both become swept up in the struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic.
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Half of a Yellow Sun

Half of a Yellow Sun

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Critics Consensus

While it doesn't quite do justice to the source material, Half of a Yellow Sun adapts Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel with committed performances and narrative nuance.

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Critics Reviews

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Kate Muir The Times (UK) 12/31/2017
Director Biyi Bandele adapted the book, which was superb and gut-wrenching, but the film turns turgid and shies away from showing the true horrors of the war and is the poorer for it. Go to Full Review
J. R. Jones Chicago Reader 08/07/2014
Biyi Bandele has excerpted their story from a much wider-ranging narrative, but the action here is still so tightly compressed that this feels like a precis for a movie twice its length. Go to Full Review
Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune 07/31/2014
3/4
The best of the movie finds a way to abridge the novel and still allow the scenes to breathe. Go to Full Review
Tom Bond One Room With A View 06/11/2019
2/5
There's nothing terrible about Half of a Yellow Sun, but not much good either. A powerful novel has been neutered. Go to Full Review
Alexa Dalby Dog and Wolf 06/07/2019
3/5
Overall, it's a fascinating slice of modern history that may be unfamiliar to some, which can also give us an insight into the making of contemporary Nigeria. Go to Full Review
Cate Young BattyMamzelle 03/10/2019
3/5
Half Of A Yellow Sun is a compelling drama [that] ( ... ) form[s] a timeless tribute to the resistance of the human spirit in the face of war time struggle. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 May 30 What the flying ****?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Dianne V 12/04/2024 If you've read the book, the movie is a complete waste of time. Total disservice to the book. The plot was rushed and key details were left out. In my opinion, this should have been a miniseries or something. See more 03/18/2020 Felt very rushed and incomplete compared to the book but still some emotional scenes with a great cast See more 05/14/2017 WARNING YOU HAVE GOT TO WATCH THE END OF THE CREDITS THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE AS SOMETHING HAPPENES AT THE END OF THE CREDITS THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE........ See more 09/03/2016 The film splits its plot between a strained relationship and the Nigerian Civil War, and never fully explores either aspect, however it's still a decent drama. See more 04/26/2016 Starts okay but so disjointed and lousy script the film was a waste of effort See more Read all reviews
Half of a Yellow Sun

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Movie Info

Synopsis Twin sisters (Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose) from a wealthy Nigerian family take wildly different paths in life, but both become swept up in the struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic.
Director
Biyi Bandele
Producer
Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan
Screenwriter
Biyi Bandele
Distributor
Monterey Media
Production Co
British Film Institute, Lipsync Productions
Rating
R (Some Violence|Sexual Content)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 16, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 29, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$53.6K
Runtime
1h 53m
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