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Little Buddha
1993 123 min France, Italy, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom PG 16+
★6.5
Drama, History
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Trailers
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EN
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Description
After the death of Lama Dorje, Tibetan Buddhist monks find three children — one American and two Nepalese — who may be the rebirth of their great teacher.
Budget:
$35M
US Gross:
$4.86M
Worldwide:
$4.9M
Starring
Keanu Reeves
Actor
Bridget Fonda
Actor
Ruocheng Ying
Actor
Awards
Razzie Awards 1995
— Worst New Star
Key opinion
Little Buddha is a visually stunning and meditative exploration of Buddhist philosophy that juxtaposes ancient Indian history with a contemporary Western search for reincarnation. While supporters praise its atmospheric beauty and life-affirming message, critics argue that the narrative is uneven, overly simplistic in its storytelling, and occasionally hampered by questionable casting choices.
| Cinematography | Vittorio Storaro's cinematography excels by effectively contrasting the cold, sterile color palette of Western urban settings with the warm, vibrant hues of Eastern environments. | |
| Score | Ryuichi Sakamoto’s evocative score and the lush, ceremonial production design create an immersive, meditative atmosphere that aligns with the film's philosophical themes. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure is polarized; some find the parallel storytelling between Siddhartha's past and the modern reincarnation search deeply engaging, while others dismiss the modern plot as unnatural or contrived. | |
| Acting | Keanu Reeves' portrayal of the Buddha is divisive, with opinions split between those who view his physical transformation as a powerful anchoring performance and those who find his casting distracting or his portrayal of the Buddha's enlightenment inauthentic. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is often criticized as slow or dull, creating a divide between viewers who appreciate the contemplative, mantra-like rhythm and those who find the two-hour runtime exhausting and lacking dramatic momentum. |