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Trailer

An Elephant Sitting Still

2018Movie3 h 50 min

Drama
84
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.8Metacritic868.0Rotten Tomatoes94%77%

A profoundly sad, relentlessly bleak drama movie about everyday modern life and society, with standout direction and performances.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · you want to half-watch while scrolling

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

In the northern Chinese city of Manzhouli, they say there is an elephant that simply sits and ignores the world. Manzhouli becomes an obsession for the protagonists of this film, a longed-for escape from the downward spiral in which they find themselves.

Feels like

  • Bleak Social Realism
  • Slow-Burn Tragedy
  • Chinese Indie Cinema
  • Existential Despair
  • Moral Decay
  • Character-Driven Narrative
  • Philosophical
  • Depressing
  • Social Critique

Cast

14 of 14

Crew

Directed by
Hu Bo
Written by
Hu Bo
Produced by
Wang Xiaoshuai, Xuan Liu, Dongyan Fu
Music by
Hualun

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 14, 2018 · 3 h 50 min · Violence, Suicide Themes, Disturbing Imagery

Released
December 14, 2018
Runtime
3 h 50 min
Content
Violence, Suicide Themes, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama
Original language
Chinese
Made in
China
Budget
$3 million
Available in
13 countries

Tropes

Extremely Short Timespan, Alas, Poor Villain, Not Helping Your Case +1

  • Extremely Short Timespan
  • Alas, Poor Villain
  • Not Helping Your Case
  • Big Brother Instinct

From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream An Elephant Sitting Still?"

Questions about An Elephant Sitting Still

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream An Elephant Sitting Still?

KanopyFandorOVIDAsianCrushCineverse

In the United States, An Elephant Sitting Still streams on Fandor, OVID, and AsianCrush, and it is free with ads on Kanopy and Cineverse. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store. It also streams in 10 other countries.

Is An Elephant Sitting Still worth watching?

84
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 84 (IMDb 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes 94%, and Metacritic 86). Critics rate it higher (90 out of 100) than audiences (78).

Will I feel good after watching An Elephant Sitting Still?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 10 of 10 for bleakness and 10 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Is An Elephant Sitting Still plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is An Elephant Sitting Still in English?

Chinese

No, it was made in Chinese.