Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Poignant drama has drinking, smoking, upsetting scenes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Cottontail
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In COTTONTAIL, Kenzaburo (Lily Franky) travels from Japan to England to fulfill his late wife's dying wish of having her ashes sprinkled at Lake Windermere, where she remembers chasing cottontail rabbits as a child. His son, Toshi (Ryo Nishikido), joins him with his own wife and daughter. But as father and son struggle to communicate, can they find a way to connect amid their grief or will the journey push them even further apart?
Is It Any Good?
In his debut feature film, writer/director Patrick Dickinson crafts an intimate study of grief and troubled family dynamics in this affecting but never melodramatic drama. Cottontail explores difficult and emotive themes, such as the death of loved ones, the fear of being a burden, estrangement, and assisted suicide. There are heartbreaking moments, but also times of lightness, joy, and hope. Flashbacks chart various points in Kenzaburo's relationship with his wife, from first meet-cute to harrowing times of suffering. The impact of his inability to communicate with his son is worn heavily on both their faces, and small details take on huge emotional richness. Franky is perfectly cast following his international success in Oscar-nominated Shoplifters. An emptiness is etched in his features from the first scene, as he revisits old haunts and drinks away his sorrows, and though his behavior can be selfish and thoughtless, it's difficult not to feel his pain. Scenes of him cycling determinedly in the rainy countryside and finding childish delight in feeding a farm animal show a lost soul struggling to connect and not really knowing where to start. Dickinson's thoughtful screenplay suggests small steps and hope are journey enough for now.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the themes of communication and connection in Cottontail. Why did Kenzaburo and Toshi struggle to communicate and connect? What feelings got in the way? In what small ways did they show progress? Why is communication and connection important?
The film explores grief and loss. How did it balance that with moments of joy and hope? Which moments stood out as particularly poignant to you?
How was smoking and drinking depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? Why does that matter?
There are times when the movie shows Kenzaburo as a "fish out of water" in England. Can you think of other movies where the main character is put in an unfamiliar situation? How do they compare? Why is it often easy to find humor within this kind of situation?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 7, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : July 9, 2024
- Cast : Lily Franky , Tae Kimura , Ryo Nishikido
- Director : Patrick Dickinson
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Level 33 Entertainment
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Communication , Gratitude
- Run time : 94 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : July 10, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate