Early Summer
Seen it?1951 | 125 min | Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (100% 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 anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 5 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1951: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
In postwar Tokyo, Noriko lives with her extended family. Although she enjoys her career and her social life, her more traditional family worries about her single marital status at the advanced age of 28. 40-year-old business associate Takako proposes, Noriko's family press her into accepting, but when her widowed childhood friend Kenkichi returns to the neighborhood, she finds her heart leading in another direction.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 94 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.9 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
7 wins and 0 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- 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 23K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Yasujirō Ozu
- Setsuko HaraNoriko Mamiya
- Chishū RyūKoichi Mamiya
- Chikage AwashimaAya Tamura
- Kuniko MiyakeFumiko Mamiya
- Ichirō SugaiShukichi Mamiya
- Chieko HigashiyamaShige Mamiya
- Haruko SugimuraTami Yabe
- Kuniko IgawaTakako
- Hiroshi Nihon'yanagiKenkichi Yabe
- Shūji SanoSotaro Satake