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Poster for The Taste of Tea

The Taste of Tea

Seen it?

2004 | 143 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office flop and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh and fantasy fans. If you loved The Green Mile or Mary Poppins, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Funny with heart.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 23 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

A spell of time in the life of the five-piece Haruno family in rural Tochigi Prefecture. Yoshiko is not an ordinary housewife, instead working on an animated film project. Uncle Ayano, a successful music producer, is looking to get his head together after living in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Sachiko is concerned with why she seems to be followed by a giant version of herself. As the lazy days pass by, each member of the family is followed in a series of episodic vignettes.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 77 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.5 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerWeak

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 36K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Katsuhito Ishii

  • Maya SuzunoSachiko Haruno
  • Takahiro SatoHajime Haruno
  • Tadanobu AsanoAyano Haruno
  • Satomi TezukaYoshiko Haruno
  • Tatsuya GashuinAkira Todoroki
  • Tomokazu MiuraNobuo Haruno
  • Anna TsuchiyaAoi Suzuishi
  • Tomoko NakajimaAkira Terako
  • Ikki TodorokiSelf
  • Kirin KikiObaa