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Sonatine

Original title: Sonachine
  • 1993
  • R
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
24K
YOUR RATING
Sonatine (1993)
Several yakuza from Tokyo are sent to Okinawa to help end a gang war. The war then escalates and the Tokyo drifters decide to lay low at the beach.
Play trailer0:53
1 Video
77 Photos
Dark ComedyGangsterActionComedyCrimeDramaRomanceThriller

Several yakuza from Tokyo are sent to Okinawa to help end a gang war. The war then escalates and the Tokyo drifters decide to lay low at the beach.Several yakuza from Tokyo are sent to Okinawa to help end a gang war. The war then escalates and the Tokyo drifters decide to lay low at the beach.Several yakuza from Tokyo are sent to Okinawa to help end a gang war. The war then escalates and the Tokyo drifters decide to lay low at the beach.

  • Director
    • Takeshi Kitano
  • Writer
    • Takeshi Kitano
  • Stars
    • Takeshi Kitano
    • Aya Kokumai
    • Tetsu Watanabe
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    24K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Takeshi Kitano
    • Writer
      • Takeshi Kitano
    • Stars
      • Takeshi Kitano
      • Aya Kokumai
      • Tetsu Watanabe
    • 98User reviews
    • 73Critic reviews
    • 73Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:53
    Trailer

    Photos77

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    Top cast40

    Edit
    Takeshi Kitano
    Takeshi Kitano
    • Aniki Murakawa
    Aya Kokumai
    • Miyuki
    Tetsu Watanabe
    Tetsu Watanabe
    • Uechi
    Masanobu Katsumura
    • Ryoji
    Susumu Terajima
    Susumu Terajima
    • Ken
    Ren Ôsugi
    Ren Ôsugi
    • Katagiri
    Koichi Kitamura
    • Hirose
    Yutaka Tomi
    • Okumura
    Takeshi Fukazawa
    • Sakai
    Yoshiyuki Morishita
    Yoshiyuki Morishita
    • Maeda (knife attacker)
    Yoichi Nagai
    • Ono
    Hiroshi Ando
    • Ito
    Kanji Tsuda
    Kanji Tsuda
    • Tsuda
    Kikuo Itô
    • Drug Addict
    Koji Koike
    • Nakamatsu
    Daigaku Sekine
    • Nakamatsu Member
    Kôta Mizumori
    • Kanemoto (Mahjong Shop Owner)
    Rome Kanda
    Rome Kanda
    • Rapist
    • Director
      • Takeshi Kitano
    • Writer
      • Takeshi Kitano
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The title Sonatine comes from the musical term sonatina. Kitano said that when learning the piano, when the learner gets to sonatinas they have to decide where they want to go, whether it is to classical, jazz or popular music; marking the point of crucial decision making. This refers to the character Murakawa in the film.
    • Quotes

      Miyuki: You're tough. I love tough guys.

      Aniki Murakawa: I wouldn't carry a gun if I were tough.

      Miyuki: You can shoot without a second thought.

      Aniki Murakawa: I shoot fast because I get scared fast.

      Miyuki: But you're not afraid of dying, are you?

      Aniki Murakawa: When you're scared all the time, you reach a point when you wish you were dead.

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of the closing credits, various shots of the beach that were taken a year or so later, are included.
    • Connections
      Featured in Century of Cinema: Nihon eiga no hyaku nen (1995)

    User reviews98

    Featured review
    9/10

    not an action movie

    I think the people who criticize this film do so because they've been trained to watch movies the way Hollywood makes them. This is as far from Hollywood as a gangster film can get. The quiet (or as some might say, boring) moments are there because the characters exist in a realistic world where sometimes they can do nothing but sit and think. Sonatine isn't perfect, but it can certainly be appreciated if the viewer will approach it with an open mind. Also, the sumo scene is very fun and beautiful.
    • Cindy-39
    • Jun 7, 1999
    • Permalink

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    FAQ19

    • How long is Sonatine?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 10, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Official site
      • Miramax
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • 小奏鳴曲
    • Filming locations
      • Okinawa, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Bandai Visual Company
      • Shochiku
      • Yamada Right Vision Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $58,834
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $17,527
      • Apr 12, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $58,834
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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