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Fireworks

Original title: Hana-bi
  • 19971997
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
30K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Hana-bi (1997)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Romance
Nishi leaves the police in the face of harrowing personal and professional difficulties. Spiraling into depression, he makes questionable decisions.Nishi leaves the police in the face of harrowing personal and professional difficulties. Spiraling into depression, he makes questionable decisions.Nishi leaves the police in the face of harrowing personal and professional difficulties. Spiraling into depression, he makes questionable decisions.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
30K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Takeshi Kitano
  • Writer
    • Takeshi Kitano
  • Stars
    • Takeshi Kitano
    • Kayoko Kishimoto
    • Ren Ôsugi
Top credits
  • Director
    • Takeshi Kitano
  • Writer
    • Takeshi Kitano
  • Stars
    • Takeshi Kitano
    • Kayoko Kishimoto
    • Ren Ôsugi
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 140User reviews
    • 81Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 23 wins & 24 nominations

    Photos118

    Hana-bi (1997)
    Hana-bi (1997)
    Hana-bi (1997)
    Hana-bi (1997)
    Hana-bi (1997)
    Hana-bi (1997)
    Hana-bi (1997)
    Shoko Kitano in Hana-bi (1997)
    Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, and Shoko Kitano in Hana-bi (1997)
    Susumu Terajima in Hana-bi (1997)
    Susumu Terajima and Tarô Itsumi in Hana-bi (1997)
    Kayoko Kishimoto in Hana-bi (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Takeshi Kitano
    Takeshi Kitano
    • Yoshitaka Nishias Yoshitaka Nishi
    Kayoko Kishimoto
    Kayoko Kishimoto
    • Nishi's wifeas Nishi's wife
    Ren Ôsugi
    Ren Ôsugi
    • Horibeas Horibe
    Susumu Terajima
    Susumu Terajima
    • Nakamuraas Nakamura
    Tetsu Watanabe
    Tetsu Watanabe
    • The Scrap Yard Owneras The Scrap Yard Owner
    Hakuryû
    Hakuryû
    • The Yakuza Hitmanas The Yakuza Hitman
    Yasuei Yakushiji
    • Criminalas Criminal
    Tarô Itsumi
    • Kudoas Kudo
    Ken'ichi Yajima
    Ken'ichi Yajima
    • Doctoras Doctor
    Makoto Ashikawa
    • Tanakaas Tanaka
    Yûko Daike
    Yûko Daike
    • Tanaka's widowas Tanaka's widow
    Tsumami Edamame
    Tsumami Edamame
    • Businessman Throwing Rocksas Businessman Throwing Rocks
    Yûrei Yanagi
    • Chef #1as Chef #1
    Sujitarô Tamabukuro
    • Chef #2as Chef #2
    Tokio Seki
    • Old Hickas Old Hick
    Motoharu Tamura
    • Chief Detectiveas Chief Detective
    Hitoshi Nishizawa
    • Yakuza Headas Yakuza Head
    Hiromi Kikai
    • Director
      • Takeshi Kitano
    • Writer
      • Takeshi Kitano
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Nishi, a police detective, has had to deal with a series of emotionally devastating events over the recent past. His only child, then preschool age, died two years ago. His wife, currently in the hospital, has been diagnosed with a terminal case of leukemia. And he develops a case of guilt when his colleague Horibe, during a stakeout which Nishi himself was supposed to be on but who, on Horibe's suggestion, was visiting his wife in the hospital instead at the time, gets shot point blank. That guilt is only exacerbated when Horibe, who as a result becomes paraplegic, is abandoned by his wife and child, with Horibe himself at a loss with what to do with his life as being a police was his sole identity. As a means to cope, Nishi becomes increasingly reckless, which affects the way he does his police work. That recklessness extends to his personal life when his wife's doctor recommends that she go home, Nishi, in the process, borrowing money from the yakuza to make ends meet. That recklessness also leads to him taking matters into his own hands as he tries to make his and his wife's life together, for however long it will last, a series of small yet special moments. —Huggo
    • police
    • illness
    • leukemia
    • grief
    • cynicism
    • 246 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Romance
      • Thriller
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The paintings that appear throughout the movie were painted by Takeshi Kitano himself after his near-fatal motorcycle accident in August 1994.
    • Quotes

      Miyuki, Nishi's wife: Thank you - thank you for everything.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Wild Things/Niagara, Niagara/Mr. Nice Guy/Wide Awake/Fireworks (1998)

    User reviews140

    Review
    Top review
    A masterpiece!
    'Hana-bi' is one of the most impressive movies I've seen in the last ten years. Writer/director/star Beat Takeshi (Takeshi Kitano) is best known in Japan as a comedian and TV personality, so this movie is even more astonishing to outsiders like myself. Takeshi has a very laconic and charismatic screen presence, and is no slouch as a director either. It's difficult to describe the feel of this movie, and its poetic use of violence. Peckinpah's brilliant and misunderstood 'Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia' comes to mind, as does Cassavetes' 'The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie', Ferrara's 'King Of New York' and 'Bad Lieutenant'. 'Hana-bi' reminds me of those movies but Takeshi adds his own unique voice to the material. I was knocked out by it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough to movie fans who are fascinated by the relationship between art and violence. I don't think calling this movie a masterpiece is an exaggeration. Absolutely essential viewing!
    helpful•37
    9
    • Infofreak
    • Jul 6, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 20, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Hana-Bi
    • Filming locations
      • Tokyo, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Bandai Visual Company
      • TV Tokyo
      • Tokyo FM Broadcasting Co.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $500,000
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $59,508
      • Mar 22, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $500,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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