2020·Drama·1h 55m
7.0
★
War photographer W. Eugene Smith travels back to Japan where he documents the devastating effect of mercury poisoning in coastal communities.
Directed by Andrew Levitas
japan
war photographer
mercury poisoning
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Johnny Depp
W. Eugene Smith
Minami
Aileen
Hiroyuki Sanada
Mitsuo Yamazaki
Bill Nighy
Robert "Bob" Hayes
Jun Kunimura
Junichi Nojima
Ryo Kase
Kiyoshi
Tadanobu Asano
Tatsuo Matsumura
Akiko Iwase
Masako Matsumura
Katherine Jenkins
Millie
Lily Robinson
Diandra
Ayumi Takano
Yuzu Aoki
Sigeru
Crew
Andrew Levitas
Director
Andrew Levitas
Screenplay
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Original Music Composer
Nathan Nugent
Editor
Benoît Delhomme
Director of Photography
Andrea Iervolino
Executive Producer
Gabrielle Tana
Producer
Zach Avery
Producer
Johnny Depp
Producer
Phil Hunt
Executive Producer
Compton Ross
Executive Producer
Andrew Levitas
Producer
Popular Reviews
57 reviews
Evan
8.0★ · 01/15/26
Minamata is too good of a film to have been forgotten like this. Minamata is a beautiful film in its true story and in its cinematography. One of the only few good movies to be released in 2020 yet has zero attention probably due to the case at the time and covid. Johnny Depp is outstanding in this and gives a near career best in this, how he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar considering who was is criminal I’ll have to watch the farther to determine if he was robbed. Underrated gem needs to be seen more.
Minamata is too good of a film to have been forgotten like this. Minamata is a beautiful film in its true story and in its cinematography. One of the only few good movies to be released in 2020 yet has zero attention probably due to the case at the time and covid. Johnny Depp is outstanding in this and gives a near career best in this, how he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar considering who was is criminal I’ll have to watch the farther to determine if he was robbed. Underrated gem needs to be seen more.
JacobRobPRO
6.0★ · 01/07/26
Extremely forgettable
Extremely forgettable
kknvch
7.0★ · 12/25/25
Such films are necessary for society. Gene and Aileen opened people’s eyes to what Chisso tried to carefully conceal and what the government continues to deny to this day. People like Eugene and Aileen need films like these, bravo!
Such films are necessary for society. Gene and Aileen opened people’s eyes to what Chisso tried to carefully conceal and what the government continues to deny to this day. People like Eugene and Aileen need films like these, bravo!
Diogo Magalhães
8.0★ · 11/16/25
I really liked this film for a myriad of reasons, but I’d like to point out just two.
This is one of the best roles I’ve seen Johnny Depp play. He’s just a natural as Eugene Smith.
The cinematography is one of the standouts in Minamata. It’d be almost ironic if a film that has photography as one of its central themes had an average camera work, but Benoît Delhomme does an amazing job, just like he had done in At Eternity’s Gate.
Sometimes, Minamata borders on easy sentimentalism, but the messages it conveys, and they way it conveys them, are critically important and engaging.
This is one of the best roles I’ve seen Johnny Depp play. He’s just a natural as Eugene Smith.
The cinematography is one of the standouts in Minamata. It’d be almost ironic if a film that has photography as one of its central themes had an average camera work, but Benoît Delhomme does an amazing job, just like he had done in At Eternity’s Gate.
Sometimes, Minamata borders on easy sentimentalism, but the messages it conveys, and they way it conveys them, are critically important and engaging.
I really liked this film for a myriad of reasons, but I’d like to point out just two.
This is one of the best roles I’ve seen Johnny Depp play. He’s just a natural as Eugene Smith.
The cinematography is one of the standouts in Minamata. It’d be almost ironic if a film that has photography as one of its central themes had an average camera work, but Benoît Delhomme does an amazing job, just like he had done in At Eternity’s Gate.
Sometimes, Minamata borders on easy sentimentalism, but the messages it conveys, and they way it conveys them, are critically important and engaging.
This is one of the best roles I’ve seen Johnny Depp play. He’s just a natural as Eugene Smith.
The cinematography is one of the standouts in Minamata. It’d be almost ironic if a film that has photography as one of its central themes had an average camera work, but Benoît Delhomme does an amazing job, just like he had done in At Eternity’s Gate.
Sometimes, Minamata borders on easy sentimentalism, but the messages it conveys, and they way it conveys them, are critically important and engaging.
Daniyal Akmal
People have done some truly atrocious things throughout history
People have done some truly atrocious things throughout history