Last Life in the Universe (2004)
92%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 11 nominations
Photos
22
Tadanobu Asano and Sinitta Boonyasak in Last Life in the Universe (2003)
Tadanobu Asano and Sinitta Boonyasak in Last Life in the Universe (2003)
Pen-Ek Ra
Last Life in the Universe is a cinematic masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of traditional storytelling. With its slow pace and experimental approach, the film allows the audience to fully immerse themselves in the lives of its quirky characters. The Thai locales, stunning cinematography, and intricate shots are a feast for the eyes, while the offbeat romance is a delight for the soul. It’s a film that demands multiple viewings to fully appreciate its nuances and complexities. Last Life in the Universe is a true gem of the art-house genre, and a must-see for any cinephile looking for a unique and captivating experience.
Last Life in the Universe is a movie that’s like a fancy art exhibit – you don’t really get it, but you pretend to because you don’t want to look uncultured. It’s a slow-paced romance that’s set in Thailand and stars a suicidal librarian and a gangster’s girlfriend. The cinematography is pretty, and the characters are quirky, but the plot is a bit pretentious. Overall, it’s a movie that you’ll either love or hate, but you’ll definitely feel like you need to watch it again to fully understand it.
Production Company(ies)
Armory Films, 1993 Lucky Treehouse
Distributor
Palm Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Bangkok International Airport, Bangkok, Thailand
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence, sexual content, language and drug use
Year of Release
2003
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 48m
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Language(s):Thai, Japanese, English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 2004 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2005
Genre(s)
Drama/Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Tadanobu Asano, Sinitta Boonyasak, Laila Boonyasak, Yutaka Matsushige, Riki Takeuchi, Takashi Miike, directed by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, written by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Pradba Yoon, drama, romance, R rating, box office gross $31.7K, reviewed by Jeff Shannon, Andrew Sarris, G Allen Johnson, Michael Booth, Wesley Morris, Kevin Thomas, Jean-François Vandeuren, Ken Hanke, Pablo Villaça, Dennis Schwartz, Matt Bailey, Andrew Wright
Worldwide gross: $63,095
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $102,269
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,025
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,153
US/Canada gross: $32,014
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $51,891
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,749
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,833
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $9,455
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,714
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Sinitta Boonyasak – Noi
Laila Boonyasak – Nid
Yutaka Matsushige – Yukio
Riki Takeuchi – Takashi
Takashi Miike – Yakuza
Director(s)
Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Writer(s)
Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Pradba Yoon
Producer(s)
Wouter Barendrecht
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 11 nominations
Photos
22
Tadanobu Asano and Sinitta Boonyasak in Last Life in the Universe (2003)
Tadanobu Asano and Sinitta Boonyasak in Last Life in the Universe (2003)
Pen-Ek Ra
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (4)
It’s an offbeat romance that defies easy labeling, recommendable as a film buff’s pleasure and a semi-audacious art-house curio.
October 1, 2004 | Rating: 2.5/4
Jeff Shannon
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
[Reflects] the growing interpenetration of many individual national cinemas into a cultural conglomerate that reflects the irresistible tide of cinematic globalization.
October 1, 2004
Andrew Sarris
Observer
TOP CRITIC
The film has a precise, slow pace that allows us to get to know these quiet, quirky characters, and an imaginatively experimental approach to their thoughts and dreams.
September 17, 2004 | Rating: 4/4
G. Allen Johnson
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
An absorbing series of intricately planned shots that play like installation art at a modern museum.
September 17, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Booth
Denver Post
TOP CRITIC
There is some lovely filmmaking here, and nice surprises.
August 20, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
Wesley Morris
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
The Thai locales, the stars and Doyle’s expressive cinematography add up to a disarmingly seductive yet always precarious film experience.
August 19, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Un film dont les élans singuliers mènent à la fascination.
July 4, 2007 | Rating: 8/10
Jean-François Vandeuren
Panorama
One fascinating — if not wholly accessible — movie.
December 21, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Asano é sempre um ator interessante, mas a montagem é auto-indulgente e o roteiro, pretensioso.
September 26, 2005 | Rating: 2/5
Pablo Villaça
Cinema em Cena
Macabre film about a suicidal librarian.
April 29, 2005 | Rating: A
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
A film that demands second and even third viewings in order to absorb all of its nuances.
March 1, 2005
Matt Bailey
Not Coming to a Theater Near You
This trip-hoppy tone poem left me feeling like I’d never seen a movie before.
December 5, 2004
Andrew Wright
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)…
Plot
A lonely librarian flees to Bangkok to avoid the Yakuza, where he meets a free-spirited bar hostess dealing with her sister’s death, and they form an odd bond over their sadnesses, but he doesn’t know the Yakuza have followed him.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Takashi Miike, known for his extreme and violent films, makes a brief appearance as a Yakuza member in Last Life in the Universe.
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