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Poster for Fireworks

Fireworks

Seen it?

1997 | 103 min | Crime, Drama

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (7.7 out of 10) and it was a solid box office hit. Make plans for this one.

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

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for crime-drama fans. 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 43 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: meant for adults.
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Beleaguered police detective Nishi takes desperate measures to try and set things right in a world gone wrong. With those close to him suffering their own tribulations, Nishi's methods become increasingly extreme.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 83 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.7 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 Venice award: Golden Lion. Also nominated for 1 Independent Spirit Award. Plus 1 other award.

  • Reach & staying powerStrong

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 68K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Takeshi Kitano

  • Takeshi KitanoYoshitaka Nishi
  • Kayoko KishimotoNishi's Wife
  • Ren OsugiHoribe
  • Susumu TerajimaNakamura
  • Tetsu WatanabeJunkyard Owner
  • HakuryuYakuza Hitman
  • Yasuei YakushijiCriminal
  • Tarô ItsumiKudo
  • Kenichi YajimaDoctor
  • Makoto AshikawaTanaka