Movie

Under the Open Sky

2021 · 126 min

A quiet, heartbreaking character study that immerses you in one man's struggle for dignity, with moments of raw tension and tender hope.

Overview: Mikami, an ex-yakuza of middle age with most of his life in prison, gets released after serving 13 years of sentence for murder. Hoping to find his long lost mother, from whom he was separated as a child, he applies for a TV show and meets a young TV director Tsunoda. Meanwhile, he struggles to get a proper job and fit into society. His impulsive, adamant nature and ingrained beliefs cause friction in his relationship with Tsunoda and those who want to help him.

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: melancholicstrength 3 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
warmstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: redemption
isolation
family
identity
survival
Places: big city
home
workplace
Era: contemporary
Audience: adult
Form: nonlinear
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence strong
Sex none

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	3
Horror	1
Humour	2
Realism	9
Romance	1
Tension	6
Darkness	7
Complexity	6
Emotional weight	8

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Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres: crime, drama
Directed by: Miwa Nishikawa
Written by: Miwa Nishikawa
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Taiga Nakano, Masami Nagasawa, Isao Hashizume, Rokkaku Seiji, Yukiya Kitamura, Narumi Yasuda, Meiko Kaji
Music: Masaki Hayashi
Cinematography: Norimichi Kasamatsu
Runtime: 126 min
Country: Japan
Languages: Japanese

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Under the Open Sky

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Where to watch in the UK

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