Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Last Life in the Universe’?

Last Life in the Universe (2003)

tomatometer

90

Average Rating: 7.4/10
Reviews Counted: 40
Fresh: 36 | Rotten: 4

No consensus yet.

100

Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 11
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 0

No consensus yet.

audience

89

liked it
Average Rating: 4.1/5
User Ratings: 8,457

My Rating

Movie Info

A story of two very different people coming together in the wake of personal tragedies, Last Life in the Universe stars Tadanobu Asano as Kenji, a quiet, bespectacled Japanese librarian living in Bangkok. Obsessed with suicide, he meticulously stages ways to kill himself, only to be interrupted every time. One night, his more raucous brother shows up for an unexpected visit, accompanied by a yakuza gangster. A gunfight breaks out, leaving both visitors dead. Kenji ventures out into the night and

Feb 15, 2005

Palm Pictures

All Critics (43) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (4) | DVD (12)

[Reflects] the growing interpenetration of many individual national cinemas into a cultural conglomerate that reflects the irresistible tide of cinematic globalization.

October 1, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Observer | Comment
New York Observer
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The film has a precise, slow pace that allows us to get to know these quiet, quirky characters, and an imaginatively experimental approach to their thoughts and dreams.

September 17, 2004 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | Comment
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

An absorbing series of intricately planned shots that play like installation art at a modern museum.

September 17, 2004 Full Review Source: Denver Post | Comment
Denver Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

There is some lovely filmmaking here, and nice surprises.

August 20, 2004 Full Review Source: Boston Globe | Comment
Boston Globe
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The Thai locales, the stars and Doyle's expressive cinematography add up to a disarmingly seductive yet always precarious film experience.

August 19, 2004 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | Comment
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The closest thing to entering a dream state at the movies right now is watching Last Life in the Universe.

August 7, 2004 Full Review Source: Salon.com | Comment
Salon.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Un film dont les élans singuliers mènent à la fascination.

July 4, 2007 Full Review Source: Panorama | Comment

One fascinating -- if not wholly accessible -- movie.

December 21, 2006 Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | Comment
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Asano é sempre um ator interessante, mas a montagem é auto-indulgente e o roteiro, pretensioso.

September 26, 2005 Comment
Cinema em Cena

...one of the most beautiful and deeply satisfying films I've ever seen.

August 2, 2005 Comment
Reel.com

Macabre film about a suicidal librarian.

April 29, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A film that demands second and even third viewings in order to absorb all of its nuances.

March 1, 2005 Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You | Comment
Not Coming to a Theater Near You

Image quality is a major letdown but the Chris Doyle commentary track certainly is not.

February 10, 2005 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

This trip-hoppy tone poem left me feeling like I'd never seen a movie before.

December 5, 2004 Full Review Source: The Stranger (Seattle, WA) | Comment

... a dreamy study in stillness broken by suicide fantasies, flashbacks, and the hired killers, but even the violence has a meditative even melancholy quality to it...

October 4, 2004 Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | Comment
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

It's an offbeat romance that defies easy labeling, recommendable as a film buff's pleasure and a semi-audacious art-house curio.

October 1, 2004 Full Review Source: Seattle Times | Comment
Seattle Times

Constantly surprising.

September 17, 2004 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment
Combustible Celluloid
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Last Life in the Universe

This one was quite a light film as opposed to what I was expecting. The story is odd, but not appealing enough. Slightly slowly paced, this flick is neither serious (dark and interesting) nor an out and out entertainer. Watchable, but not a must watch.

November 28, 2011
imrealgod

Super Reviewer

Nice dreamlike atmosphere & beautiful images by Doyle but the film suffers from overusing the indie spirit cliches, It could have been a lot better & could have had a lot more to offer

February 15, 2009
arashxak
Arash Xak

Super Reviewer

Last Life in the Universe Quotes

No quotes approved yet for Last Life in the Universe. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Latest News for Last Life in the Universe

What's Hot On RT

Luis Guzman
Luis Guzman

What are his 10 best movies ever?

<em>Amazing Spider-Man</em>
Amazing Spider-Man

See the all-new action-packed trailer!

The Avengers!
The Avengers!

Five new Marvelous pictures

Total Recall
Total Recall

Unconventional Superheroes

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 18,541 taken
created 12 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 44,373 taken
created 15 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 27,119 taken
created 15 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 27,623 taken
created 15 months ago

Foreign Titles

  • Last Life in the Universe (Ruang rak noi nid mahasan) (DE)
  • Last Life in the Universe (Ruang rak noi nid mahasan) (UK)
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Blog | Developers | Mobile