Minamata

R

Released Dec 15, 2021

1 hr. 55 min.

Drama

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List

78%

82 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Inspired by a true story, Minamata stars Johnny Depp playing celebrated photojournalist Eugene Smith. The film takes place in 1971 when we find Smith as a recluse and disconnected from the world he once shot. After receiving one final assignment from Life Magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy), Eugene must travel to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning. Ushered by an impassioned Japanese translator, Aileen (Minami) and encouraged by local villagers (Hiroyuki Sanada), Eugene's powerful images expose decades of gross negligence by the country's Chisso Corporation.

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Critics Consensus

Heartfelt yet jumbled, Minamata pays tribute to a remarkable real-life story perhaps better served by the documentary treatment.

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Hatsuhito S

国内に自浄作用があればここまで注目されなかったのに、企業や国が正しく向き合うことをしなかったため、映画化もされた。時代は成長で犠牲は必要だったという考えもあっただろうが、当時代表を務めていた白石宗城の退任後の会社も談合を繰り返す悪しき企業として残っている。日本の数ある企業の面汚し。白石宗城も土佐の名士の家系で育った一人。そんな日本は今でも外圧でしか変われない。

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/27/23

Full Review

Kyle M

Industrial contamination affecting communities and their surrounding environment, including resources, to the horrific extent of affecting their physical and at times mental health is a well aware situation that can be identified. Although ignorant corporates have proven repeatedly they're capable of being selfishly careless over how they operate and only focus on their financial gains, not the horrors they're causing. If it did come to their attention, would they fix it out of human decency or withhold the information from the books? History shows mostly otherwise with little remorse until the pressure against them becomes too much. Cinema visualizes those impactful fights to re-emphasize the stories' emotional weight, provoking us in broadened awareness to sympathize with the affected argument from the respectful, often authentic craft. These considered underdog fights are spirited and admirable, but the story itself can only compel if semi-acknowledged while becoming a historical lesson for furthering the facts in a worthwhile portrait. If the story doesn't solely intrigue by attract, then leave it to a capably renowned director or a headlining actor to bring it to our attention. Minamata is a Japanese coastal city that dealt with mercury poisoning neglected by the country's chemical Chisso Corporation, supplying liquid crystals used for LCDs. The pollution lasted 34 years, affected thousands of deaths and victims diagnosed with the disease named after their community, dealing with numerous defects as horrific results – and the company continue to deny to this day with little information to mention of those events unless directly questioned. The corporates prefer to limit any sort of knowledge within their country as they don't want outsiders intervening in their foreign operations unbeknownst to them. Celebrated photojournalist W. Eugene Smith documents the devastation with powerful images that exposed decades of gross negligence and bring justice for the local villagers. Agreeably deemed an important story, "Minamata" is a societal thriller with an edgier intuition than earlier films with similar topical subjects, but prominently done with respect amid sensible buildup – despite the community's concern regarding the storytelling genre's inaccurate tendencies. Any inaccurate elements within the plotline, which there are only to the minimum, can be deciphered and understood when establishing factual compositions just to get straight to the narrative and express one's characteristic instance. Though the obstacles as attempts to violently dissuade Smith from discovering and unveiling more of the truth seems to act out generically story-wise functionally akin to a political thriller that hinders the protagonist's path, it's part of that instance leaning towards the layered connections that are assisting the cover-ups with not much further contexts. Structurally effective deliverance nonetheless as the tensions are analytically engrossing expressing lengths of influential power of both ends, with Smith's interactions proving inspirational and delicately approaches that interpret his recluse personality, even if factual checking those moments meets dead ends for solid accuracies. One certain aspect researched afterwards is depicting the titular disease as the main figures interacts with those diagnosed with slight disfigurements actually shown, possibly coming across as neorealism. In the light of being surrounded by unjustified controversary, this film became Johnny Depp's star vehicle leaning towards his performative redemption that turned out one of his best, especially by recent memory amidst now-compelling recent filmography. Depp always has that pleasingly brighten presence with retained enjoyable eccentricity, earnestly-layered by a prepped switch when necessary while excelling his assignment, occasionally over-achieve or overtakes the role like it's the actor experiencing the story than just embodying the character. Considering how sensitively felt the story is when witnessing the devastating effects prompting fragile care, how he portrays Smith's deliverance represents us outsiders reacting to a foreign issue and how we would interact if we were there in his shoes. Besides that consideration, Depp reunites with Bill Nighy who plays the head of Life magazine as Smith's photograph platform, and their dynamic underlines certain reminiscent and given opportunity for Depp to just be snarky. Minami takes passion as Aileen, Smith's translator and ["eventual"] wife, and Tadanobu Asano steps into the greedy shoes as Chisso's head as he tried to find a sense of humanity in his role. "Minamata" respectfully displays W. Eugene Smith's photography historically risen from this exposure, just like how director Andrew Levitas in his second feat dedicated this to the victims and glorified their fight against higher power. This is especially evident during the conclusion after the climatic confrontation as the ending sent a broader, more general statement across the topic under similar incidents, whilst thanking those who demonstrated rebellious heroism in getting the truth out. Bolstered by Depp's appealing caliber who headlined the story, it's almost like we grasp his scrutinized range and understand why he took such role as his inclusion spreads awareness of this story's buried impacts. The only current remnants of what occurred are through the affected generations and dimmed historical bookings till this picture rejuvenates the narrative. (B+)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/12/23

Full Review

Peter W

Overall, Minamata reveals an incredible and touching true story. Not only did I enjoy the film's plot and the journey it takes its viewers on, but I also fell in love with the work of Johnny Depp. He delivered a tremendous performance, which felt highly refreshing. Those who enjoy watching war stories or stories based on actual events will undoubtedly find this film highly pleasing and unforgettable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/19/23

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shana p

Wonderful movie. The truth of the story is heartbreaking but also one of showing what a community can do for family. I would highly recommend everyone see it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/23/23

Full Review

Maria H

Photographer William Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) travels to coastal villages in Japan. It what journalism was about and should still be about, not like journalism of today where you can literally pay them to write a story. I won't go in to detail except to say watch it and you will see how corporations control people at every level.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/14/23

Full Review

Michelle B

Excellent movie description of real life events and what happens to many people. How we have no control over it unless we stand up and fight. Johnny Depp portrays Eugene Smith the famous photographer who plunged into the Japan Minamata poisoning and did an Excellent job of his portrayal. Highly recommended movie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/29/23

Full Review

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Andrew Levitas

Director

Johnny Depp

W. Eugene Smith

Hiroyuki Sanada

Mitsuo Yamazaki

Jun Kunimura

Junichi Nojima

Minami

Aileen

Bill Nighy

Robert Hayes

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Minamata: Exclusive Movie Clip - The Greatest Photographer

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Minamata: Trailer 1

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Concepción de León

New York Times

“Minamata” is often undermined by its protagonist, whose boorish ways clash with Japanese culture and distract from its central message.

Feb 15, 2022

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

Minamata is weighed down by self-important direction that loses the human beings in this story by prioritizing the headlines.

Rated: 2/4

Feb 11, 2022

Full Review

Noel Murray

Los Angeles Times

Taken on its own merits — as an accessible if ahistorical dramatization of an environmental tragedy — “Minamata” does what it sets out to do very well.

Feb 11, 2022

Full Review

Alejandro Lingenti

La Nación (Argentina)

The insistent drive to place the redemption of a heroic individual in the foreground diminishes the same Japanese people punished by the tragedy; they are used as satellites for Depp's magnetic and compelling performance. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 20, 2022

Full Review

Emiliano Basile

EscribiendoCine

[The biopic, environmental film, and photography genres] fuse unsurprisingly well in this homage movie with a social compromise that highlights a peculiar way to see the world from behind a camera lens. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Oct 18, 2022

Full Review

Ruth Maramis

FlixChatter Film Blog

Depp is quite good here as war photographer W. Eugene Smith. The environmental disaster story is hard to shake, and the stunning cinematography is a fitting tribute to an acclaimed photographer.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 1, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

Inspired by a true story, Minamata stars Johnny Depp playing celebrated photojournalist Eugene Smith. The film takes place in 1971 when we find Smith as a recluse and disconnected from the world he once shot. After receiving one final assignment from Life Magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy), Eugene must travel to the Japanese coastal city of Minamata, which has been ravaged by mercury poisoning. Ushered by an impassioned Japanese translator, Aileen (Minami) and encouraged by local villagers (Hiroyuki Sanada), Eugene's powerful images expose decades of gross negligence by the country's Chisso Corporation.

Director: Andrew Levitas
Executive Producer: Monika Bacardi, Stephen Deuters, Compton Ross, Stephen Spence
Screenwriter: David K. Kessler, Stephen Deuters, Andrew Levitas, Jason Forman
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co: Kreo Films FZ, Metalwork Pictures, Infinitum Nihil, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology
Rating: R (Language Throughout)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 15, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 8, 2022
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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