Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

The Outsider

  • 2018
  • TV-MA
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
31K
YOUR RATING
Jared Leto in The Outsider (2018)
Set in post-WWII Japan, an imprisoned American soldier is released with the help of his Yakuza cellmate. Now free, he sets out to earn their respect and repay his debt while navigating the dangerous criminal underworld.
Play trailer1:52
2 Videos
33 Photos
CrimeDramaThriller

An epic set in post-WWII Japan and centered on an American former G.I. who joins the yakuza.An epic set in post-WWII Japan and centered on an American former G.I. who joins the yakuza.An epic set in post-WWII Japan and centered on an American former G.I. who joins the yakuza.

  • Director
    • Martin Zandvliet
  • Writer
    • Andrew Baldwin
  • Stars
    • Jared Leto
    • Tadanobu Asano
    • Kippei Shîna
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    31K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Martin Zandvliet
    • Writer
      • Andrew Baldwin
    • Stars
      • Jared Leto
      • Tadanobu Asano
      • Kippei Shîna
    • 254User reviews
    • 41Critic reviews
    • 30Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:52
    Official Trailer
    Roles That Tom Hardy Turned Down
    Video 2:02
    Roles That Tom Hardy Turned Down
    Roles That Tom Hardy Turned Down
    Video 2:02
    Roles That Tom Hardy Turned Down

    Photos33

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 26
    View Poster

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Jared Leto
    Jared Leto
    • Nick Lowell
    Tadanobu Asano
    Tadanobu Asano
    • Kiyoshi
    Kippei Shîna
    Kippei Shîna
    • Orochi
    Shioli Kutsuna
    Shioli Kutsuna
    • Miyu
    Emile Hirsch
    Emile Hirsch
    • Paulie Bowers
    Ray Nicholson
    Ray Nicholson
    • American Stock Broker
    Rory Cochrane
    Rory Cochrane
    • Anthony Panetti
    Nao Ômori
    Nao Ômori
    • Hiromitsu
    • (as Nao Ohmori)
    Min Tanaka
    Min Tanaka
    • Akihiro
    Masaki Miura
    • Kentaro
    Shun Sugata
    Shun Sugata
    • Prison Warden
    Hiroya Shimizu
    • Banjo
    Hiro
    • Satoru
    Young Dais
    Young Dais
    • Takeshi
    Gô Jibiki
    Gô Jibiki
    • Eiichi
    Yasushi Fuchikami
    • Ryo
    Eita Okuno
    Eita Okuno
    • Ko
    Syodai Hori-Ren
    • Mitsuda
    • Director
      • Martin Zandvliet
    • Writer
      • Andrew Baldwin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews254

    6.330.6K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7neener3707

    Very Cool, Not Without Flaws, But Still Great

    I for one thoroughly enjoyed this Netflix film, which is rare. Not sure what th deal with Metacritic rating it so low because I found it to be above average compared to most streaming originals. If you don't know the story, go ahead and watch the trailer, and for me, I was immediately drawn in to it by the trailer, because I'm a big fan of Asian crime films. And this film was not a let down in nearly any way. I loved the story, such a unique one in the time of super hero garbage and needless remakes of classics. The story pulled me in and the world it creates is a well represented one, definitely channeling other very successful Asian crime films. The action was true to the genre and definitely satisfied me.

    Unfortunately not all the actors shined. Don't get me wrong, some had great performances, but others just seemed to be playing themselves, which I hate. As I said before, the world is well put together, seems very authentic with pretty good cinematography. I didn't like the pacing at some parts of the film but that really had no effect on the enjoyable experience. So I would say this is a pretty decent breathe of fresh air to see on Netflix, better than the majority of bombs that they put out into the public.

    I would highly recommend it.
    8Deadiron29

    A predictable but enjoyable ride

    The story is a fairly by the numbers mafia drama in terms of structure but,it is very well executed. The sense of high stakes is always present trough the whole film, every action has a consequence. As the script has no unnecessary filler plots, it keeps the story moving at a prefect pace.

    The main themes of the movie are brotherhood and revenge, and even if the characters ar not too deep, you get to know them enough to care for them in dangerous situations and you feel some empathy for the main character in his struggle ro fit into a violent world that does not treat him as an equal Nick is not a hero or a good person at all but he shows enough principles for the audience to understand his perspective.

    Is this movie unique? Not at all but it more than a time waster that deserves your attention.
    8deloudelouvain

    Much better then I thought it would be.

    Well this movie clearly deserves a higher rating then it actually gets for now. If you like mob/gangster movies then you will definitely like this one. At least I did. It all looks very stylish, but behind the style there is some hardcore violence, something you can only see in Mafia movies where the honor of the clan comes before everything. The Outsider tells the story of a caucasian former GI soldier that gets recruited into the Yakuza. Jared Leto played the perfect role, as the calm but coldhearted newbie. The rest of the cast, are all Japanese, and they all agve this movie a great touch. The story is well writen, never a dull moment, and add on that an excellent soundtrack that brings you in that special gangster mood. One of the better Japanese movies I ever saw if you ask my opinion.
    8kosmasp

    Slow and painful

    Just because a movie has a snails pace, does not mean it can not be brutal and violent in spades. We got one of those cases right here. It's about honor and loyalty. A major part of the movie is in Japanese (with subtitles of course), but our main character is an english speaking one. Which is the old "stranger comes into town" kind of thing.

    In this case his invasion into this culture that most westerners may not be that aware of, is really the driving force. He does learn fast, but he is also human, so he does have some urges and he has feelings too (even if sometimes you may think otherwise). Brutal, honest and without really taking compromises, this may feel too long for some, but will be a masterpiece for others.
    6ajwh-53593

    Like all outsiders, bit of an oddity

    This should've been great. As a concept, the fish out of water storyline is a tried and tested formula, and the setting within the Yakuza in post-WW2 Japan was potentially an inspired choice. However, it didn't delve anywhere near deep enough into these ideas, and instead remained very much on the outside. Perhaps that was a choice of the filmmakers, but as a storytelling device that only works for the characters, not the audience. We need to be let in on the inside.

    I was excited about this film because it was picked up a few years ago on the Black List and it seemed to be my kind of story. I don't know if the idea came from Tony Luraschi's 1979 film of the same name about a young American joining the IRA who finds himself out of his depth, but there are many obvious similarities, and not just in the title. The problem with this film though, is that it didn't have the same dramatic conflict or character development. Things just happened and we kind of drifted along with Jared Leto's protagonist, Nick.

    We didn't get to know anything of Nick's motivation or much of his backstory. That kept it intriguing for awhile, but by the end I didn't care one bit about him. Although the film was stylish and quite atmospheric, it suffered from poor pacing. When there was action, it was bloody and gory and often spontaneous, which can work to good effect, but I didn't find it particularly shocking because there was no build up of tension.

    The whole film was a bit of a mystery to me. It didn't really use the setting of Japan to good effect, apart from a few cool looking scenes, and kind of skimmed the surface of Japanese culture, which to me at least, as an outsider, is utterly fascinating, and was the film's strongest selling point. Nor did it particularly explore the Yakuza in any great detail. I was really hoping for an updated version of The Yakuza (1974) but was left disappointed.

    It scores a solid 6/10 because despite its limitations, it's enjoyable enough and it's refreshing to get something a bit different from your usual Hollywood fare. I also thought the cast did a pretty decent job.

    More like this

    Yakuza and the Family
    7.1
    Yakuza and the Family
    Polar
    6.3
    Polar
    Message from the King
    6.4
    Message from the King
    The Outsider
    6.7
    The Outsider
    Rogue City
    6.1
    Rogue City
    Triple Frontier
    6.5
    Triple Frontier
    The Outsider
    4.7
    The Outsider
    Kate
    6.3
    Kate
    Mute
    5.5
    Mute
    The Outsider
    7.6
    The Outsider
    Wheelman
    6.4
    Wheelman
    Reptile
    6.8
    Reptile

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jared Leto grew out his hair and beard for most of 2016 to prepare for the role of Nick Lowell and have the appearance of an American prisoner of war.
    • Goofs
      The opening shot features large letters across the screen saying, "Osaka, 1954" while simultaneously showing a 1960 Chrysler Crown Imperial Le Baron.
    • Quotes

      Miyu: Do you know what your tattoo means? Do you know what it means? It's a fable. The koi fish who can swim up a waterfall becomes a dragon. It means you're arrogant.

      [laughs]

      Nick Lowell: What do your tattoos mean?

      Miyu: What? Mine?

      Nick Lowell: Yeah.

      Miyu: Do you get the same one as me?

      Nick Lowell: You have two koi fish.

      Miyu: I do. One swimming up, and one swimming down.

      Nick Lowell: I understand.

      Miyu: You do? Tell me.

      Nick Lowell: Well... I guess, in life, sometimes we fight the current. And other times, it's important to flow with the river.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Month in Movies: March 2018 (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Boparama
      Written by Frank Mizen

      Performed by Cavendish Music

      Courtesy of 5 Alarm Music

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ16

    • How long is The Outsider?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 9, 2018 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Kẻ Ngoại Bang
    • Filming locations
      • Japan
    • Production companies
      • Linson Entertainment
      • Waypoint Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,869
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.