Overview
A man's solitary journey of redemption unfolds in a quiet barbershop, where an unexpected friendship blossoms.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- melancholic
- compassionate
- restrained
- quiet evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's compassionate character work, vivid ensemble, saturated cinematography, and emotionally generous treatment of guilt and recovery.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Takuro leaves prison and establishes a barber shop while attempting to form cautious new relationships.
Takuro speaks almost exclusively to the eel he befriended in prison, making the creature a distinctive outlet for his isolation.
The film uses vivid, eccentric characters and Takuro's outsider status to examine passions beneath the orderly surface of Japanese life.
Its sunny, saturated colors and pristine visuals counterbalance the protagonist's violent past and guarded present.
Films like The Eel, and why
The Second Wife
shared themes of guilt, solitary reinvention, and compassionate observation of marginalized lives
Hana-bi
shared japanese drama tradition, emotional restraint, and a protagonist seeking redemption after violence
Wings of Desire
shared crime drama framework, morally compromised characters, and richly textured social realism
Movie Details
- Director
- Shōhei Imamura
- Release Date
- 1997-05-12
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (135)
Cast
- Koji Yakusho
- Misa Shimizu
- Akira Emoto
- Fujio Tokita
- Mitsuko Baisho
- Show Aikawa
- Ken Kobayashi
- Sabu Kawahara
- Etsuko Ichihara
- Tomorowo Taguchi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Eel about?
- A convicted wife-killer cautiously rebuilds his life through a rural barbershop, eccentric new companions, and an eel that becomes his closest confidant.
- What is The Eel like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Eel as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Eel violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Eel as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Eel?
- Critics broadly praised the film's compassionate character work, vivid ensemble, saturated cinematography, and emotionally generous treatment of guilt and recovery.
- Which films are like The Eel?
- Films with a similar feel include The Second Wife, Hana-bi, and Wings of Desire.
- How long is The Eel?
- The Eel runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Eel?
- In United States, The Eel streams on Criterion Channel.
