They Say Nothing Stays the Same

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They Say Nothing Stays the Same

2021

2h 17m

Drama

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14 Reviews

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In the debut directorial feature by actor Joe Odagiri, The Say Nothing Stays the Same follows an old ferryman in a remote Meiji-era community. His life is a peaceful, cyclical existence, given meaning by the essential role he plays in transporting people, livestock and goods across the water, connecting villages and lives. When news arrives that a bridge is being built, it's clear that his services will no longer be needed. Meanwhile, his life will be equally transformed by the appearance of a mysterious young woman whom he saves from drowning. Shot by star cinematographer Christopher Doyle and featuring an array of cameos from Japan's top stars, The Say Nothing Stays the Same is a refreshingly old-fashioned work of classical cinema, its formal qualities mirroring its thematic concern with those fondly-remembered traditions sacrificed in the name of progress.

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Nicolas Rapold

New York Times

11/11/2021

The movie floats along pleasantly enough for much of its 137 minutes...

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Deborah Young

The Hollywood Reporter

09/20/2019

It's a dreamy, unexpectedly rigorous debut that starts frustratingly slowly but ends with an emotional bang...

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Ard Vijn

ScreenAnarchy

10/27/2022

9/10

I do not want to spoil the film by telling too much about what happens, or raise expectations too high for those who seek it out. But to me, it was a great surprise, one of my favorite cinematic experiences of the past few years.

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Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

07/20/2022

5/5

A poetic and meditative character study about a Japanese elder who models kindness, hospitality, and reverence.

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Pieter-Jan Van Haecke

Psychocinematography

06/02/2022

They Say Nothing Stays The Same is an exquisitely shot meditation about the impact change has on society and subjectivity.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

11/16/2021

Shot by Christopher Doyle, famous as Wong Kar-wai's longtime cinematographer, They Say... is duly sumptuous to look at, exquisite in its use of the surrounding landscapes.

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Rose W

@RT05138912 01/30/2025

When you need to remind yourself of true beauty and how poetic a movie can be - I strongly recommended.

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Dav Y

@RT62422818 08/17/2023

There are many frames of this movie that I would like as a desktop background.

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11/12/2021

Beautifully shot story about accepting the inevitability of change.

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Joe Odagiri

Director

Akira Emoto

Actor

Nijirô Murakami

Actor

Ririka Kawashima

A Girl

Tsuyoshi Ihara

A Man from the Construction Site

Jun Murakami

A Merchant

They Say Nothing Stays the Same: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In the debut directorial feature by actor Joe Odagiri, The Say Nothing Stays the Same follows an old ferryman in a remote Meiji-era community. His life is a peaceful, cyclical existence, given meaning by the essential role he plays in transporting people, livestock and goods across the water, connecting villages and lives. When news arrives that a bridge is being built, it's clear that his services will no longer be needed. Meanwhile, his life will be equally transformed by the appearance of a mysterious young woman whom he saves from drowning. Shot by star cinematographer Christopher Doyle and featuring an array of cameos from Japan's top stars, The Say Nothing Stays the Same is a refreshingly old-fashioned work of classical cinema, its formal qualities mirroring its thematic concern with those fondly-remembered traditions sacrificed in the name of progress.

Director: Joe Odagiri
Producer: Shozo Ichiyama, Takuro Nagai, Yusaku Nakajima
Screenwriter: Joe Odagiri
Distributor: Film Movement
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 12, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 12, 2021
Runtime: 2h 17m