Sweet Bean
At a modest dorayaki stall, an unlikely friendship turns red bean paste into a language of dignity, memory, and belonging.
Overview
A heartfelt exploration of connection and culinary artistry unfolds in a bustling Japanese street.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- gentle
- wistful
- contemplative
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's compassionate simplicity, beautiful photography, and Kirin Kiki's absorbing performance, while some found its deliberate pace and sentimentality demanding.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sentaro and Tokue build their relationship through the preparation and sharing of dorayaki and red bean paste.
Tokue's life and illness expose the enduring discrimination surrounding leprosy in Japan.
Cherry blossoms, changing seasons, food preparation, and patient observation shape the film's visual rhythm.
The bond among Tokue, Sentaro, and Wakana offers companionship and emotional refuge across age boundaries.
Films like Sweet Bean, and why
The Mourning Forest
Shared intimate japanese slice of life, food-centered storytelling, understated emotion, and compassionate attention to marginalized lives.
Our Little Sister
Shared gentle humanism, quiet pacing, intergenerational connection, and carefully observed everyday rituals involving food.
Shoplifters
Shared japanese social drama, restrained performances, family-like bonds, and compassionate examination of stigma and exclusion.
Still Walking
Shared culinary focus, contemplative atmosphere, female-centered empathy, and poetic attention to seasonal natural imagery.
Movie Details
- Director
- Naomi Kawase
- Release Date
- 2015-05-30
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (622)
Cast
- Kirin Kiki
- Masatoshi Nagase
- Kyara Uchida
- Miki Mizuno
- Etsuko Ichihara
- Miyoko Asada
- Taiga Nakano
- Wakato Kanematsu
- Saki
- Miu Takeuchi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Kino Film Collection
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Pijama Films
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sweet Bean about?
- At a modest dorayaki stall, an unlikely friendship turns red bean paste into a language of dignity, memory, and belonging.
- What is Sweet Bean like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sweet Bean as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Sweet Bean violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Sweet Bean.
- What did critics think of Sweet Bean?
- Critics broadly praised the film's compassionate simplicity, beautiful photography, and Kirin Kiki's absorbing performance, while some found its deliberate pace and sentimentality demanding.
- Which films are like Sweet Bean?
- Films with a similar feel include The Mourning Forest, Our Little Sister, Shoplifters, and Still Walking.
- How long is Sweet Bean?
- Sweet Bean runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sweet Bean?
- In United States, Sweet Bean streams on Kino Film Collection.
