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Fireworks (Hana-bi) (1997)

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Average Rating: 8.3/10
Reviews Counted: 19
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 0

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Average Rating: 4.2/5
User Ratings: 10,418

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Movie Info

Actor and auteur Takeshi Kitano (who in Japan also uses the stage name "Beat" Takeshi, primarily for his work as a television comedian) wrote, directed, edited, and starred in this unusual crime drama. Nishi (Takeshi Kitano) is a policeman whose emotions seem to run only on two extreme paths -- either quiet contentment or brutal rage. Nishi's life is falling apart around him; his daughter was murdered, his wife, Miyuki (Kayoko Kishimoto), is dying of leukemia, his partner, Horibe (Ren Osugi),

R, 1 hr. 43 min.

Drama, Romance, Art House & International

Directed By: Takeshi Kitano

In Theaters: Sep 3, 1997 Wide

On DVD: Jul 11, 2000

Fireworks (Hana-bi) Trailer & Photos

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Critic Reviews for Fireworks (Hana-bi)

All Critics (40) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (1) | DVD (5)

Takeshi Kitano, who made it, must be very serene or very angry; only extreme states allow such a narrow focus.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

Compared to [Takeshi] Kitano, Bruce Willis is a wimp, Harrison Ford is a creep, and Mel Gibson is a joke.

August 21, 2009 Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

| Comments (2)

Rob Nelson

City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

Kitano uses his own face as a blank slate with which to sketch a complicated human being.

July 7, 2004 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine

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Jaime N. Christley

Slant Magazine

Kitano makes static, understated movies about existences wasted, and rediscovering the joy of being, for a brief time, alive.... Violence comes in sudden bursts, as a shocking interruption.

October 23, 2003 Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com

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Carlo Cavagna

AboutFilm.com

A really good example of character development by actions, without the benefit of dialog or mannerisms.

February 28, 2002 Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies

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Michael W. Phillips, Jr.

Goatdog's Movies Source: Goatdog's Movies

Moody drama from Takeshi Kitano.

September 7, 2001 Full Review Source: Wired

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Phil Hall

Wired

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Audience Reviews for Fireworks (Hana-bi)

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Touching, absurd and beautiful. Hana-bi is a lot like 'Sonatine' another one of Kitano's films as it portrays a nihilistic main character, a man of few words, dealing with his wife dying and his co-worker wanting to commit suicide. Hana-bi moves at a slow pace and is accompanied by a perfect soundtrack and great

July 14, 2011

Cameron Sherwell

Super Reviewer

This movie is from a list of movies played at the 1997 Toronto International Movie Festival.Its written by Takeshi Kitano and is 103 Minutes long. Its about a police officer in Asia, whose wife is dying of Leukemia and one of his fellow partners gets shot on the job, along with other police officers. What we have is a

December 28, 2009