Yearning

1993·Movie
1h 38min
58
DecentGoodWatch score

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

Yearning fingerprint

Big heart, strong craft, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension6
  • Fast Pace3
  • Violence3

Heart

Moving and melancholic

Much of it is about family.

  • Pathos8
  • Melancholy8
  • Family Dynamics8

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay4
  • Dark Humor3
  • Cringe Humor2

World

History, family, and the mind

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality8
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Standout performances, dialogue, and characters

  • Acting8
  • Dialogue Quality8
  • Character Depth8

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7
  • Music Composition7

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFriends NightPartner WatchSolo WatchThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You want fast pacing

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Famed onnagata (a man who plays women's parts in Kabuki) Tamasaburo Bando follows up on the success of his directorial debut, Gekashitsu, with this soft-focused romance about love and obligation, based on a novel by Kafu Nagai. Set during the Meiji period (1868-1912), Kaede (Sayuri Yoshinaga) is the former mistress of a wealthy merchant. When he dies, she is forced out on the street and forced to give up her young daughter to the merchant's family. The film opens with her working in a high-class brothel abutting Tokyo Bay. Though she has passionate affection for a drug wholesaler, whom she loves as well, Kaede is swamped with not only debts to the bordello and family obligations -- she is expected to support her parents and her sister -- but also guilt over losing her child. This pain is only increased when Kaede learns that her daughter is being abused. She does the only thing she can: She buys back her child by signing on at the brothel for a longer stint.
OnnagataKabukiMeiji PeriodHigh-Class BrothelFamily ObligationsGuiltMelancholyTragedyRomanceSocial Commentary

Crew

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Yearning

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Yearning legally?

GoodWatch doesn't know of a legal streaming option for Yearning in the United States right now. Pick another country in the Where to Watch section to check elsewhere.

Is Yearning worth watching?

58
DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 58/100 (IMDb 5.8). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Yearning rated?

NuditySexual content

Content advisories: nudity and sexual content.

How long is Yearning?

1 h 38 min

Yearning runs 1 h 38 min.

What language is Yearning in?

Japanese

It was made in Japanese. Produced in Japan.

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