The Scent of Green Papaya
Seen it?1993 | 104 min | Drama, Romance
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office 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
- One for spy-story fans and music lovers. Nobody is quite who they seem. Same wavelength as The Bridges of Madison County or Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. More of a critics' pick than a crowd-pleaser: worth it if you like something a little different.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Gives its people room to develop, at 1 hr 44 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in another language, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
- Skip it if you need something light and fast tonight.
1950s Saigon through the eyes of Mui, a Vietnamese servant girl. At 10 years-old, Mui leaves her village to work for an affluent, troubled family. As she comes of age, Mui finds work in the household of a pianist she has admired since childhood, and finds their relationship growing in complexity.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
Our audience score: 62%
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$2 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 33K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Trần Anh Hùng
- Trần Nữ Yên KhêMui
- Man San LuYoung Mui
- Thi Loc TruongMother
- Ánh HoaOld Woman
- Hoa Hoi VuongKhuyen
- Ngoc Trung TranFather
- Vantha TalismanThu
- Keo SouvannavongTrung
- Van Oanh NguyenMr. Thuan
- Gerard NethTin