Monday Morning Maybe

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Poster for Kids Return

Kids Return

Seen it?

1996 | 107 min | Drama, Crime

Sunday Safe Bet

Why 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
Made for crime-drama fans. If you loved Creed II or The Hurricane, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Dark and gritty.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 47 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Shinji and Masaru spend most of their school days harassing fellow classmates and playing pranks. They drop out and Shinji becomes a small-time boxer, while Masaru joins up with a local yakuza gang. However, the world is a tough place.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.9 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    6 wins and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 19K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Takeshi Kitano

  • Masanobu AndoShinji
  • Ken KanekoMasaru
  • Leo MorimotoHomeroom Teacher
  • Hatsuo YamayaBoxing Club Manager
  • Mitsuko OkaSachiko's Mother
  • Yuko DaikeSachiko
  • Ryo IshibashiLocal Yakuza Chief
  • Susumu TerajimaNo. 2 in Local Gang
  • Moro MorookaHayashi
  • Michisuke KashiwayaHiroshi