Find Movies & TV
Home
Live TV
On Demand
Discover
Explore
Movies & TV Shows
Most Popular
Leaving Soon
Categories
Action
Animation
Comedy
Crime
Documentary
Drama
En Español
Horror
Music
Romance
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Western
Explore
Browse Channels
Featured Channels
Crime 360
Nashville
FailArmy
Categories
Hit TV
Drama TV
Movies
True Crime
News
Sports
Reality
Classics
Sci-Fi & Action
Chills & Thrills
Comedy
Game Shows
Nature & Travel
History & Science
Food & Home
Lifestyle
Kids & Family
En Español
International
Anime+
Music
Sign In
The Eel
Directed by
Shōhei Imamura
Not Rated
1998
1h 57m
Drama
,
Comedy
,
and more
7.3
82%
81%
6.9
Add to Watchlist
A businessman kills his adulterous wife and is sent to prison. After his release, he opens a barbershop and meets new people, talking to almost no one except for an eel he befriended while in prison.
More
Where to Watch The Eel
There are no locations currently available for this title
Cast of The Eel
Koji Yakusho
Takuro Yamashita
Misa Shimizu
Keiko Hattori
Akira Emoto
Tamotsu Takasaki
Fujio Tokita
Jiro Nakajima
Mitsuko Baisho
Misako Nakajima
Show Aikawa
Yuji Nozawa
Ken Kobayashi
Masaki Saito
Sabu Kawahara
Seitaro Misato
Etsuko Ichihara
Fumie Hattori
Tomorowo Taguchi
Eiji Dojima
Chiho Terada
Emiko Yamashita
Sanshō Shinsui
Doctor
Koichi Ueda
Detective Keiji
Ken Mitsuishi
Detective
Hiroyuki Konishi
Medical Examiner
Shoichi Ozawa
Gynaecolology Clinic Doctor
Makoto Satō
Jukichi Takada
Shinsho Nakamaru
Emiko Yamashita's Boyfriend
Sei Hiraizumi
Prison Officer
Seiji Kurasaki
The Eel Ratings & Reviews
Slant Magazine
Jake Cole
Like much of Imamura Shôhei's work, The Eel deals frankly with matters of sex and sexuality, but with an emotional detachment akin to an anthropological study.
Elements of Madness
Douglas Davidson
Through Imamura's film, concepts of violence, greed, and lust are ruminated on and manipulated until one's own straight-forward beliefs regarding redemption are challenged in this surprisingly hopeful, though familiar, tale.
Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
Judith Egerton
Imamura composed The Eel with an artist's eye and takes his time, so don't expect a fast-paced American-style film.
Spirituality & Practice
Mary Ann Brussat
This excellent drama, based on a novel, reveals the beginning of a relationship between two souls who are trying to move beyond the wounds of the past.
Goatdog's Movies
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
[An] odd, affecting little film.
Los Angeles Times
Kevin Thomas
Unpredictable and captivating.
San Francisco Chronicle
Bob Graham
It sounds nuts, but one of the best movies in town is about the relationship of a man with his eel.
Austin Chronicle
Marc Savlov
A flash of quiet brilliance that resonates long after the images have faded from the screen.
Deseret News (Salt Lake City)
Jeff Vice
An oddly affecting and haunting film, thanks to the deliberate pacing and an appropriately enigmatic starring turn by actor Koji Yakusho.
Boxoffice Magazine
Ed Scheid
Yakusho gives a good performance in the lead role but the screenplay does not go beneath the surface of the characters.
CNN.com
Paul Tatara
I was once again stuck watching a movie that's solely about repressed passion, perhaps the least cinematic thing you could ever try to film.
Village Voice
J. Hoberman
This simple, sinuous fable may not be among Imamura's greatest films ... but it could hardly have been made by anyone else.
New York Times
Lawrence Van Gelder
Yakusho and Ms. Shimizu deliver unerring performances in a splendid film that harvests hope from a bleak landscape.
Internet Reviews
Steve Rhodes
Although it starts off like a sports car barreling down the highway in high gear, the director shifts into neutral right after the opening credits end and coasts until almost all momentum is lost.
Watch The Eel Videos
The Eel
The Eel
Trailer
Take Plex everywhere
Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices
Home
Live TV
On Demand
Discover
