As we follow Lama Norbu’s (Ying Ruocheng) quest to find his reincarnated teacher in Seattle, we’re also served the story of how Prince Siddharta (Keanu Reeves) once attained enlightenment. Bernardo Bertolucci returns to The Last Emperor (1987) territory with parallel tales about the rise of Buddhism and how it fits into the modern world 2,500 years later. Ryuichi Sakamoto’s somber music goes nicely with Vittorio Storaro’s beautiful visuals, but Reeves doesn’t make much of an impact as the Prince and the director’s slow-moving treatment rarely touches the heart.
1993-U.S. 123 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro. Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto. Cast: Keanu Reeves (Siddharta), Chris Isaak (Dean Conrad), Bridget Fonda (Lisa Conrad), Alex Wiesendanger (Jesse Conrad), Ying Ruocheng (Lama Norbu), Raju Lal.
Trivia: Also available in a 141 min. version.
