Hiroshima, Mon Amour

Released May 16, 1960

1h 32m

Drama

List

96%

47 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The deep conversation between a Japanese architect (Eiji Okada) and a French actress (Emmanuelle Riva) forms the basis of this celebrated French film, considered one of the vanguard productions of the French New Wave. Set in Hiroshima after the end of World War II, the couple -- lovers turned friends -- recount, over many hours, previous romances and life experiences. The two intertwine their stories about the past with pondering the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb dropped on the city.

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Critics Consensus

Distinguished by innovative technique and Emmanuelle Riva's arresting performance, Hiroshima Mon Amour is a poignant love story as well as a thoughtful meditation on international trauma.

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Pauline Kael

Sight & Sound

The educated audience often uses “art” films in much the same self-indulgent way as the mass audience uses the Hollywood “product,” finding wish fulfillment in the form of cheap and easy congratulation on their sensitivities and their liberalism.

Oct 17, 2023

Full Review

Jonas Mekas

Village Voice

Resnais' visual sense is matched only by such masters of images as Orson Welles or Von Sternberg.

Jul 27, 2021

Full Review

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

I was arrested by the way in which the film was shot and what it was saying, but I'll admit to not caring much about the two people at the center of Resnais' drama.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 12, 2021

Full Review

Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Spans decades while remaining stubbornly in the present tense, the way our own memories ebb and flow according to what we’re feeling in the moment.

Aug 20, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

The true centerpiece of the experience is Emmanuelle Riva.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 21, 2022

Full Review

John Beaufort

Christian Science Monitor

Hiroshima, Mon Amour is an impressive exercise of film techniques, mood embodying camera work, an almost intuitive kind of musical accompaniment, and verismo acting.

Aug 17, 2022

Full Review

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Jim T

Contrary to "movie info", the film was released in summer 1959

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/28/24

Full Review

Leaburn O

Very good contemplative piece on serendipitous cross border, brief love affairs and their intoxicating psychological impact. Watched on YouTube though not sure how long it will be up there.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/17/24

Full Review

Jose R

"Hiroshima mon amour" is a timeless masterpiece, blending avant-garde elements with the emotional grandeur of "Gone with the Wind." It crafts a captivating melodrama, rich in lush beauty and an absorbing narrative. Skillfully avoiding boredom, nihilism, and inaccessibility, this film transcends arthouse boundaries, offering a perfect, must-see cinematic experience for a diverse range of viewers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/11/23

Full Review

Yellowfur D

I didn't see many French women's POV. I think it was more of a God's perspective shot, but the subject of the narrative was a French woman. Discussing war and politics from the perspective of a transnational one-night stand is quite novel, but the movie-watching process is a bit boring.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/10/23

Full Review

Massoud H

One of the greatest cinematic representations of carnage and its aftermath. Brilliance.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/30/22

Full Review

Audience Member

I loved the initial part with the voice over and close ups of the leads. The overall movie was a very thought provoking romantic drama. A flurry of thoughts and memories rushed through my head as I watched this slow but haunting movie

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

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Alain Resnais

Director

Emmanuelle Riva

Elle

Eiji Okada

Lui

Stella Dassas

Mother

Pierre Barbaud

Father

Bernard Fresson

German Lover

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Synopsis

The deep conversation between a Japanese architect (Eiji Okada) and a French actress (Emmanuelle Riva) forms the basis of this celebrated French film, considered one of the vanguard productions of the French New Wave. Set in Hiroshima after the end of World War II, the couple -- lovers turned friends -- recount, over many hours, previous romances and life experiences. The two intertwine their stories about the past with pondering the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb dropped on the city.

Director: Alain Resnais
Screenwriter: Marguerite Duras
Distributor: Zenith International Films
Production Co: Como Film, Argos Films, Daiei Studios, Pathé Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 1960, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 16, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $88.3K
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono

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