The Sea Watches

R

Released Jun 5, 2003

1h 59m

Drama

List

57%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

71%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

In mid-19th-century Japan, geisha O-Shin (Nagiko Tono) works alongside tough-minded veteran Kikuno (Misa Shimizu). O-Shin falls in love with samurai Fusanosuke (Hidetaka Yoshioka) after hiding him from a man he injured in a fight. Though geisha are not supposed to become emotionally involved with their clients, O-Shin decides to defy tradition and marry Fusanosuke. When he abandons her, heartbroken O-Shin becomes involved with another samurai, Ryosuke (Masatoshi Nagase).

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

It has been directed by Kei Kumai as a film that seems more melodramatic and sentimental than Kurosawa's norm.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 24, 2003

Full Review

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

Filled with love and melancholy, it's a fitting, fond epilogue to [Kurosawa].

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 23, 2003

Full Review

Glenn Lovell

San Jose Mercury News

I don't think I'm going too far out on a limb by saying the Sea that Kurosawa must have envisioned had to be a whole lot more compelling and focused than the one now delivered by veteran director Kei Kumai.

Rated: 2/4

Jul 25, 2003

Full Review

Panos Kotzathanasis

Asian Movie Pulse

Although not of the caliber of Kurosawa movies, it still a very competently written, shot, directed and acted film that manages to shed light in an aspect of the Japanese society of the samurai era that is not exactly common in the country's cinema.

Rated: 7

May 12, 2024

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Oct 13, 2005

Full Review

Paul Sherman

Boston Herald

Rated: 2/4

Jul 16, 2005

Full Review

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Audience Member

Based on a screenplay by Kurosawa Akira this is a well paced tale of prostitutes, not geisha, dealing with day to day life the best they can.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's like Little Women with well-mannered bitches. What's not to love, haters?

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Frances H

Although interesting as a script, Kurosawa's hand in directing was necessary to make this into a better movie.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/09/13

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the prettiest movies I've ever seen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I don't usually watch japanese movies, but this one really caught me... even though there was a lot drama, I liked it :)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The script for The Sea is Watching is one of the last screenplays Akira Kurosawa wrote (adapted from a novel). It starts off as an attractive film; rich colors, effective photography, nice framing, fetching prostitutes in a quaint little red light district. Then it goes melodrama, followed by silly, culminating in corny which brought a smile to my face before the surreal kicked in. It never really stops looking good, though. I give it high marks for that. It's hard to imagine what this could have been had Kurosawa lived long enough to direct it. Although Shimizu and Tono give reasonably good performances, overall the acting is not one of the film's high points. Everyone is attractive and polite enough so I ended up not minding it but can only wonder what this could have been with, perhaps, a stronger cast and a more accomplished director at the helm. I do recommend the film to those wanting a taste of historical Japanese culture and who enjoy quiet films about love, loss, and friendship. more: <a href='http://sitenoise-atthemovies.blogspot.com/2010/07/sea-is-watching-umi-wa-miteita-2002.html' target='_blank'>sitenoise at the movies: The Sea is Watching</a>

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

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Kei Kumai

Director

Misa Shimizu

Kikuno

Masatoshi Nagase

Ryosuke

Hidetaka Yoshioka

Fusanosuke

Nagiko Tono

Oshin

Akira Kurosawa

Writer

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Synopsis

In mid-19th-century Japan, geisha O-Shin (Nagiko Tono) works alongside tough-minded veteran Kikuno (Misa Shimizu). O-Shin falls in love with samurai Fusanosuke (Hidetaka Yoshioka) after hiding him from a man he injured in a fight. Though geisha are not supposed to become emotionally involved with their clients, O-Shin decides to defy tradition and marry Fusanosuke. When he abandons her, heartbroken O-Shin becomes involved with another samurai, Ryosuke (Masatoshi Nagase).

Director: Kei Kumai
Screenwriter: Akira Kurosawa, Shûgorô Yamamoto
Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Production Co: Nikkatsu Corporation
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 5, 2003, Original
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital