Parents' Guide to

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Surprising, mystical film about lonely woman on a mission.

Movie NR 2015 105 minutes
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) lives a lonely life in Tokyo; she has few friends, no boyfriend, a job she hates, and a mother who calls to berate her for not being married yet. One day she stumbles on a video tape of the classic 1996 film Fargo and ends up fixating on a scene near the end when an injured kidnapper buries ransom money in the snow. Kumiko suddently realizes that it's her destiny to fly to Minnesota and find that buried treasure, which she believes is real. So what if she barely speakes English and doesn't even have a warm coat to protect herself from the bitter winter cold?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (3):

The magic in KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER really starts to emerge when she winds up in the Midwest, lost, cold, and alone. The people in Minnesota just don't know what to make of this strange woman who's absolutely determined to find her way to Fargo. They want to help, but there's not much they can do -- not when they're competing against her delusions. As she gets closer to her goal, the film slowly drifts away from reality and into a kind of fantasy land -- it's an amazing journey for both Kumiko and the viewer. This is the kind of story that could have a tragic ending (it's loosely based on a North Dakota urban legend that did) but instead is absolutely uplifting as Kumiko finally discovers what she truly needs.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Kumiko's decision to fly to the United States in search of treasure. Is she trying to escape something? If so, what?

  • Can you think of any other films about lonely people who make unexpected, rash decisions? How does this compare?

  • Do you have to be familiar with Fargo to appreciate this movie? How does pop culture familiarity inform and impact people's media consumption?

Movie Details

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