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IMDbPro

Black Rain

  • 1989
  • R
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
57K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,499
253
Michael Douglas in Black Rain (1989)
ActionCrimeDrama

Two NYC cops arrest a Yakuza member and must escort him when he's extradited to Japan.Two NYC cops arrest a Yakuza member and must escort him when he's extradited to Japan.Two NYC cops arrest a Yakuza member and must escort him when he's extradited to Japan.

  • Director
    • Ridley Scott
  • Writers
    • Craig Bolotin
    • Warren Lewis
  • Stars
    • Michael Douglas
    • Andy Garcia
    • Ken Takakura
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    57K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,499
    253
    • Director
      • Ridley Scott
    • Writers
      • Craig Bolotin
      • Warren Lewis
    • Stars
      • Michael Douglas
      • Andy Garcia
      • Ken Takakura
    • 157User reviews
    • 84Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Photos156

    Michael Douglas and Kate Capshaw in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Ken Takakura in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Yûsaku Matsuda in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Ken Takakura in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas, Yûsaku Matsuda, and Ken Takakura in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Yûsaku Matsuda in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Yûsaku Matsuda in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia in Black Rain (1989)
    Michael Douglas in Black Rain (1989)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Douglas
    Michael Douglas
    • Nick Conklin
    Andy Garcia
    Andy Garcia
    • Charlie Vincent
    Ken Takakura
    Ken Takakura
    • Masahiro
    Kate Capshaw
    Kate Capshaw
    • Joyce
    Yûsaku Matsuda
    Yûsaku Matsuda
    • Sato
    Shigeru Kôyama
    • Ohashi
    • (as Shigeru Koyama)
    John Spencer
    John Spencer
    • Oliver
    Guts Ishimatsu
    • Katayama
    Yûya Uchida
    Yûya Uchida
    • Nashida
    Tomisaburô Wakayama
    Tomisaburô Wakayama
    • Sugai
    Miyuki Ono
    • Miyuki
    Luis Guzmán
    Luis Guzmán
    • Frankie
    • (as Luis Guzman)
    John Costelloe
    John Costelloe
    • The Kid
    • (as John A. Costelloe)
    Stephen Root
    Stephen Root
    • Berg
    Richard Riehle
    Richard Riehle
    • Crown
    Bruce Katzman
    Bruce Katzman
    • Yudell
    Edmund Ikeda
    • Japanese Businessman
    Tomo Nagasue
    • Japanese Translator
    • Director
      • Ridley Scott
    • Writers
      • Craig Bolotin
      • Warren Lewis
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Yûsaku Matsuda's last film role. Matsuda knew he had bladder cancer and that his condition would be aggravated by acting in the movie. He elected to do so anyway, unbeknownst to director Sir Ridley Scott, reportedly saying, "This way, I will live forever." On November 6, 1989, less than seven weeks after the film's American premiere, Matsudo died of his bladder cancer at the age of 40. The film is dedicated to his memory.
    • Goofs
      When Sato has Charlie cornered in the parking garage, and is about to behead him, he looks back at Conklin, and draws a weapon. That looks to be a Wakizashi (Japanese side-sword to accompany the Katana). As he rides off to behead Charlie, he is scraping along the ground a much larger sword (Katana).
    • Quotes

      Nick Conklin: Just hope they got a Nip in this building who speaks fucking English.

      Matsumoto Masahiro: [overhearing] Assistant Inspector Matsumoto Masahiro, Criminal Investigation section, Osaka Prefecture police. And I do speak fucking English.

    • Crazy credits
      The end credits begin with a Japanese kanji, which can be translated as "complete" or "end" and is sometimes used at the end of Japanese films.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Sea of Love/True Love/The Big Picture/Shirley Valentine/The Rachel Papers (1989)
    • Soundtracks
      I'll Be Holding On
      By Hans Zimmer and Will Jennings

      Performed by Gregg Allman

      Produced by David Paich

      Gregg Allman performs courtesy of EPIC Records

    User reviews157

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A clever movie
    I was searching a review from a Japanese reviewer and found one, very tough with the film. It made me react here.

    First, I consider myself as neutral as nor American nor Japanese even if I know those two fascinating countries inhabitants a little. And I did not feel the same the Japanese reviewer did. In my sense the film does not mock Japan. It does not show Japan as 'inferior' but as different. And this is all the interest of this film whose purpose in my opinion is to show the opposite mentalities and culture. Both sides are presented. The bad and the good ones.

    The Bad : Japoneses are showed as ridiculous with red tape and bureaucracy matters, with shy behaviors, weird violence (for occidental people). But Americans too. Those are presented as brutal stupid beasts, for example when Charlie Vincent run after a motorbike without understanding the trap is going into or when Nick Conklin does not manage to restrain himself from knocking everywhere. Or when Nick signs a stupid sheet of paper without distrust. The two Americans are also presented as arrogant as they don't even think that foreigners could speak English .. because they don't imagine it is even possible. Even the American/Japanese prostitute rejects their arrogance. Also American police is presented as corrupted and messy ... So no one wins here I guess.

    The good : Japaneses are also presented as good. Cops are straight but cooperative and honor respectful, mainly instructed, efficient. Even if they lack of adaptiveness and are bad inspired to reject the American cops help. The mafia is well presented too. Franckly, they really are scary guys but gain respect with their honor code. Sato is impressive.

    Here I agree with the Japanese reviewer : The Americans are glorified (music helps :). Nick manages on his own (yet with the help of Mas) to solve a difficult case in a country he obviously even doesn't know. This is clearly the weakness of the film.

    Yet what I really appreciated was the oppositions between Mas and Nick. Wiseness and honor of Mas, for example when he feels insulted by Nicks thief behavior or when he learns from Nick. Humanity and pugnacity of Nick.

    I also liked mafia's leader speech with Nick. Here we definitively can't say the film only runs for America, obviously.

    One regret. We definitively see too little of Japan. Even if the film does much in presenting a country that we mainly bad know in occident, it could have done more. That said, I think this was not the purpose of the director who just wanted to focus on mindsets.

    Another regret : the ridiculous sounds of the motorbikes especially in the beginning of the film and in the last scene.

    The actors are all perfect. The soundtrack is really cool. Contrarily to the Japanese reviewer, I appreciated the way the director represents Japan, with subtlety, as Japan is all about. And USA with strength, as USA are all about too, sometimes too much :). If the oppositions between the two countries are exaggerated, it is in the purpose of showing them better and make understand, I guess. This is a 'must-be-watched' film for me. One of the best of Ridley Scott.
    helpful•18
    6
    • BenAordure
    • Feb 1, 2011

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    FAQ2

    • Why did Sugai order Sato to cut off part of his little finger?
    • What is Sugai talking about when he talks about the "black rain"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 22, 1989 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Japan
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Mưa Máu
    • Filming locations
      • Silverado Country Club - 1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa, Napa Valley, California, USA(Motorcycle Chase)
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Jaffe-Lansing
      • Pegasus Film Partners
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $30,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $46,212,055
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,677,102
      • Sep 24, 1989
    • Gross worldwide
      • $134,212,055
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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