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Ikiru

Play trailer Poster for Ikiru 1956 2h 23m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 57 Reviews 96% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Mr. Watanabe suddenly finds that he has terminal cancer. He vows to make his final days meaningful. His attempts to communicate his anguish to his son and daughter-in-law lead only to heartbreak. Finally, inspired by an unselfish co-worker, he turns his efforts to bringing happiness to others by building a playground in a dreary slum neighborhood. When the park is finally completed, he is able to face death with peaceful acceptance.
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Ikiru

Ikiru

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Critics Consensus

Ikiru is a well-acted and deeply moving humanist tale about a man facing his own mortality, one of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most intimate films.

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Critics Reviews

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Keith Uhlich (All (Parentheses)) (Substack) 06/10/2022
Kurosawa’s masterpiece endures, still finding new ways to scare me and speak to me after all this time. —Guest post by Kenji Fujishima Go to Full Review
Dorothy Masters New York Daily News 09/22/2021
3/4
[Kurosawa] is implemented with satirical brilliance and fine human interest... Lassitude in bureaucracy and skullduggery in politics are here to stay, he concedes, and only does the soul of man transcend his frailties. Go to Full Review
Mark Chalon Smith Los Angeles Times 06/12/2020
It illuminates a reeling society while telling a story of deep human emotion. Go to Full Review
Alistair Lawrence Common Sense Media Mar 4
Remade in 2022 as the English-language Living, this Japanese drama from co-writer and director Akira Kurosawa combines a heartfelt personal story with a more critical look at work and relationships. Go to Full Review
Calum Cooper The People's Movies 08/19/2024
5/5
Ikiru is such a stunning work of poignancy because it values and champions the importance of life and one’s self. That resonance has only grown in the decades since its release. Go to Full Review
Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 07/01/2023
Kurosawa directs his story without resorting to sentiment or rousing scenes of inspirational drama and Shimura delivers a quiet, introspective performance. It’s a beautiful, touching film... Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Carlo U Nov 2 This movie may not speak as much to younger viewers as to those of us who have already experienced all or most of our careers, only to ask ourselves whether any of it mattered in the long run. If you’re more of the older viewer, this movie will definitely make you think critically about your own life, if you haven’t already done so. What do we do that is of lasting value and meaning? See more Julian Rex M @Julian_M Aug 23 Thematically simplistic but emotionally layered, Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru is a powerfully resonant exploration of mortality, death, and the fulfillment of life that expertly balances its technical genius with Takashi Shimura's bottomlessly affecting performance. See more Virgo V Jul 23 Ikiru (To Live) is a 1952 Japanese tragedy film directed by Akira Kurosawa from a screenplay co-written with Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni. The screenplay was partly inspired by Leo Tolstoy's 1886 novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich. It stars Takashi Shimura, Nobuo Kaneko and Miki Odagiri. The music was done by Fumio Hayasaka. It was produced by Sōjirō Motoki and distributed by Toho Company, Limited. In 2009, the film was voted at No. 13 on the list of "The Greatest Japanese Films of All Time" by Japanese film magazine Kinema Junpo. The film was included in BBC's 2018 list of The 100 greatest foreign language films. Conversely, in 2016 The Daily Telegraph named it one of the 10 most overrated films. It was awarded the Special Prize of the Senate of Berlin at the Berlin International Film Festival. It was awarded Best Film at the 1953 Kinema Junpo Awards. It was awarded Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Sound Recording at the 1953 Mainichi Film Awards. Ikiru was remade as a Japanese television film that debuted on TV Asahi on 9 September 2007, the day after a remake of Kurosawa's High and Low. Anand, a 1971 Indian-Hindi film, was inspired by Ikiru. A British remake titled Living, adapted by Kazuo Ishiguro, directed by Oliver Hermanus, and starring Bill Nighy, was released in 2022. Vision wrote: “the film was absolutely brilliant. From the direction, performance by Takashi, the production and screenplay, there are elements in the film that have inspired us all. The film examines the struggles of a terminally ill Tokyo bureaucrat (played by Takashi Shimura) and his final quest for meaning or even living. The film explores the decaying family life in Japan. Takashi Shimura showcases his qualities. Akira Kurosawa does it again! I disliked the backtalk that went on between his peers during his ceremonial demise. It dragged on for too long. Overall, three and a half fries!” See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 7 Success in 2 hours and 23 minutes!!!!!!!!!!! In Japanese and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more James A Mar 14 I don't profess to be anything other than the usual movie viewer. But I can say that, even though it's cultural very different from US movies, it is near perfect in almost every way. It's character driven and Kurosawa builds characters here that are almost too real. It feels vey different from American movies but it's so easy to get lost in the thoughts and feelings of the people portrayed. Takashi Shimura is nothing short of inspired in the lead role. I don't have anything to add that hasn't already been said, but take the 2hours 23min and I don't think you will be sorry. See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing Feb 28 A good movie by the master filmmaker. See more Read all reviews
Ikiru

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Movie Info

Synopsis Mr. Watanabe suddenly finds that he has terminal cancer. He vows to make his final days meaningful. His attempts to communicate his anguish to his son and daughter-in-law lead only to heartbreak. Finally, inspired by an unselfish co-worker, he turns his efforts to bringing happiness to others by building a playground in a dreary slum neighborhood. When the park is finally completed, he is able to face death with peaceful acceptance.
Director
Akira Kurosawa
Producer
Sojiro Motoki
Screenwriter
Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
Distributor
Brandon Films Inc., Cowboy Pictures
Production Co
Toho Company Ltd.
Genre
Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 25, 1956, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 27, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$55.2K
Runtime
2h 23m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Academy (1.33:1)
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