Kikujiro

PG-13

Released May 26, 2000

2h 2m

Drama

List

61%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

92%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi) is a lonely 9-year-old boy who decides to spend his summer vacation looking for his estranged mother, whom he has never met. Kikujiro (Takeshi Kitano) is an immature man who has never had any serious responsibilities. When his wife gives him 50,000 yen to travel with Masao, the journey begins.

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Kevin Courrier

Globe and Mail

... the slapstick and sentiment make for a queasy mixture.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 22, 2002

Full Review

Patrick Z. McGavin

Hollywood Reporter

... a great deal of fun.

May 11, 2001

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David Rooney

Variety

... its treacly mix of emotional manipulation and klutzy comedy will make it hard to digest for most audiences.

Feb 14, 2001

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

This is a wonderful movie. It's so unusually sad, yet so ridiculously happy.

Rated: 10/10

Jul 24, 2019

Full Review

Christopher Machell

CineVue

A quiet masterpiece that delights and affects long after its revels have ended.

Rated: 5/5

Jan 17, 2017

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Brian Orndorf

BrianOrndorf.com

Leads with Kitano's exquisite timing and ability to mine both laughs and heartache in a single instant. It's a gorgeous take on alienation and guardianship.

Rated: A

Dec 7, 2009

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isla s

This is a film about a young child (Masao) accompanied on a journey to meet his mother. He's accompanied by a rather angry and grumpy man (Kikujiro), who barely knows the child by all accounts. It's a bit random and certainly pretty quirky but I also thought it had quite a dreamlike feel to it, with soft lighting at times and some scenes depicting what appear to be dream type sequences, with symbolic figures from, I assume, Japanese culture doing choreographed moves and the like. It definitely has an arty feel to it at times. I found the grumpy old man quite amusing, even though most people likely wouldn't - he isn't someone you'd want to annoy, or you'd never hear the end of it, that's for sure. The two main characters seem very much like fish out of the proverbial water, given their clothes and looks. The music played helps to add to the emotional feel of some scenes - it adds a feeling of affection to the two main characters. Perhaps the film is a little overly cheesy on ocassions but I can't say it really detracted too much for me. Kikujiro may be mostly unlikeable but there's something appealing about the way the two of them muddle on somehow. I liked seeing the lighter side of the mans character, when he attempts to 'entertain'. It was surprisingly funny at times, although also somewhat sad too. Yes, I'd recommend this film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

William L

If you're reading a synopsis of Kikujiro, it seems like pretty trditional territory - a group of social outcasts banding together in the face of rejection. But there is enough weirdness, genuine affection, and Takeshi Kitano's awkward running to make Kikujiro a welcome twist on a relatively familiar story, with a particular emphasis taken on by the excessive value associated with a pristine social image in Japanese culture. Normal people are the enemy (in this case, quite literally) and you can only trust your fellow offbeat outcasts. Soothe your emotional vulnerabilities with charming, strange games with people you barely known down by the side of the river. (3.5/5)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/29/22

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Matt V

A beautiful, soulful, movie. One of my all time favourites. I don't see how anyone could not love it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/31/21

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Audience Member

One of my favourite road trip films ever

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

The soundtrack was even better than the movie itself.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I will say that there are flashes of creative brilliance throughout Kikujiro but with a two hour run time this coming-of-age road movie wears out its welcome.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

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Takeshi Kitano

Director

Yusuke Sekiguchi

Masao

Takeshi Kitano

Kikujiro

Yûko Daike

Masao's Mother

Kazuko Yoshiyuki

Masao's Grandmother

Kayoko Kishimoto

Kikujiro's Wife

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Synopsis

Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi) is a lonely 9-year-old boy who decides to spend his summer vacation looking for his estranged mother, whom he has never met. Kikujiro (Takeshi Kitano) is an immature man who has never had any serious responsibilities. When his wife gives him 50,000 yen to travel with Masao, the journey begins.

Director: Takeshi Kitano
Screenwriter: Takeshi Kitano
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Office Kitano, Bandai Visual Co. Ltd., Tokyo FM Broadcasting Company, Nippon Herald Films
Rating: PG-13 (Threatening Incident)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): May 26, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 30, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $198.2K
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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