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Little Buddha (1994)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 22
Fresh: 15
Rotten:7
Average Rating: 5.9/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: A Tibetan monk known as Lama Norbu (Ying Ruocheng), living in exile in Bhutan, is searching for the reincarnation of his teacher, Lama Dorje. His quest takes him to Seattle, where signs indicate... A Tibetan monk known as Lama Norbu (Ying Ruocheng), living in exile in Bhutan, is searching for the reincarnation of his teacher, Lama Dorje. His quest takes him to Seattle, where signs indicate that a boy named Jesse may be the lama. Bernardo Bertolucci 's tale is less hermetically sealed than THE LAST EMPEROR or THE SHELTERING SKY; cultures collide when we meet the boy's American parents (Bridget Fonda and actor/singer Chris Isaak), who are understandably skeptical about Lama Norbu's excitement. Ultimately, Jesse and his father are curious enough to travel to Nepal and Bhutan (as did Bertolucci's crew), where other candidates have been identified. Throughout the film, Bertolucci cuts to episodes in the life of Siddhartha (Keanu Reeves), whose voyage of discovery 2,500 years ago led to his enlightenment as the Buddha. Bertolucci shoots Siddhartha's journey in rich reds and golds, while the scenes in Seattle--where the Americans seem morose and lost--are muted in cool blue. LITTLE BUDDHA is an intimate story in which an ancient system of belief holds its own in the modern world. [More]
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Bridget Fonda, Chris Isaak, Ying Ruicheng
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Bridget Fonda, Chris Isaak, Ying Ruicheng, Alex Wiesendanger
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
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Release:
Jul 20, 1999
Reviews for Little Buddha
Excellent introduction to Buddhism--strongest portions are mythical excerpts of Buddha's life.
Although the search for enlightenment may not have much in the way of high-concept appeal, the film should satisfy adventurous moviegoers as well as the large number of adults already intrigued by eastern religions.
Bertolucci's celebrated burnt-orange-and-burnished-lemon look remains handsome, and the story itself still commands some interest as a pivot into daunting material.
A crazily mesmerizing pop artifact that ranks alongside Herman Hesse's novel Siddhartha in terms of extreme earnestness and quasi-religious entertainment value.
Has some captivating qualities about both contemporary American life and Tibetan Buddhism.
A well-realized parable about Siddhartha, the Dalai Lama, reincarnation, and a boy's journey of discovery and death.
Part fairy tale, part travelogue, and part kindergarten lesson in Eastern religion. Not a single part is persuasive or compelling.
Cynics may turn away, but I found the ideas and their execution quite fascinating.
As beautifully photographed and intelligently-written as the movie is, it has no emotional depth or appeal, and is often as cold and clinical as its gray depiction of Seattle.
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