The Eel (1997)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:24
Fresh:18
Rotten:6
Average Rating:7/10
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
Synopsis: With THE EEL, director Shohei Imamura shows that eels are not just a tasty sushi treat but also a symbol of the human condition. Yamashita (Koji Yakusho) kills his unfaithful wife and turns himself... With THE EEL, director Shohei Imamura shows that eels are not just a tasty sushi treat but also a symbol of the human condition. Yamashita (Koji Yakusho) kills his unfaithful wife and turns himself in to the police. Eight years later he is paroled and must try to find redemption. Setting up shop as a barber, he encounters several unusual characters, including a young man who hopes to attract UFOs and a woman with a troubled past who tries to reel him in with delicious lunch boxes. Yamashita, however, is obsessed with his pet eel, his only companion during his years in prison. In his previous films (THE INSECT WOMAN, BALLAD OF NARAYAMA), Imamura has often suggested the closeness between humans and animals; in THE EEL, he takes the connection one step further, having his main character carry on hilarious dialogues with his pet. Based on the novel YAMI NI HIRAMEKU by Akira Yoshimura, the film marks Imamura's triumphant return to filmmaking after an eight-year break. When the film won the Palme d'Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, Imamura became one of only three directors to have won the honor twice. [More]
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Ken Kobayashi, Fujio Tokita
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Ken Kobayashi, Fujio Tokita, Akira Emoto, Mitsuko Baisho
Director: Shohei Imamura
Director: Shohei Imamura
Screenwriter: Shohei Imamura, Daisuke Tengan, Motofumi Tomikawa
Producer: Hiso Ino
Reviews for The Eel
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What starts out as intriguing turns into simply baffling. Full Review |
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Imamura composed The Eel with an artist's eye and takes his time, so don't expect a fast-paced American-style film. Full Review |
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This excellent drama, based on a novel, reveals the beginning of a relationship between two souls who are trying to move beyond the wounds of the past. Full Review |
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[An] odd, affecting little film. Full Review |
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Unpredictable and captivating. Full Review |
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It sounds nuts, but one of the best movies in town is about the relationship of a man with his eel. Full Review |
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An interesting film that works most effectively as an introspective study of how to deal with one's anger and love. Full Review |
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Yakusho gives a good performance in the lead role but the screenplay does not go beneath the surface of the characters. Full Review |
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In a way, The Eel is very much like Black Rain, and nearly as great. Full Review |
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Effectively emotional, quiet, and leisurely paced. Full Review |
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This simple, sinuous fable may not be among Imamura's greatest films ... but it could hardly have been made by anyone else. Full Review |
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Just when it seems like 'The Eel' is going to settle into a standard love-conquers-fear tale, the writers begin coloring in the characters, revealing their secrets and insecurities. The results are sometimes shocking and sometimes funny... Full Review |
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