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Poster for Boiling Point

Boiling Point

Seen it?

1990 | 96 min | Crime, Comedy, Drama, Action, Thriller

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had 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 crime-drama fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Fargo or Bull Durham, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Funny with heart, tense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 36 min.
What might put you off
  • Some graphic violence despite the NR rating.
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Masaki, a baseball player and gas-station attendant, gets into trouble with the local Yakuza and goes to Okinawa to get a gun to defend himself. There he meets Uehara, a tough gangster, who is in serious debt to the yakuza and planning revenge.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    94% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.9 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerSolid

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 22K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Takeshi Kitano

  • Yûrei YanagiMasaki
  • Yuriko IshidaSayaka
  • Takeshi KitanoUehara
  • Guadalcanal TakaTakashi Iguchi
  • DankanKazuo
  • Makoto AshikawaAkira
  • Hisashi IgawaOtomo
  • Johnny OhkuraMinamizaka
  • Eri FuseFumiyo
  • Katsuo TokashikiTamagi