Little Buddha

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1:34

Little Buddha

PG

1994

2h 3m

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Drawing on Buddhist history to weave a metaphor about the tragedy of Tibetans in exile, Little Buddha is Bernardo Bertolucci's stunning follow-up to The Sheltering Sky. In this religious tour-de-fource, a Buddhist monk, Lama Norbu (Ying Ruocheng), believes that a 10-year-old American boy, Jesse (Alex Wiesendanger), is the reincarnation of his spiritual teacher, Lama Dorje. Jesse's father, Dean (Chris Isaak, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me), and mother, Lisa (Bridget Fonda, Jackie Brown), are skeptical, but following his business partner's suicide, a transformed Dean relents and allows his son to travel to Bhutan. However, there are two other children whom the monk thinks may also be the reincarnation of Lama Dorje.

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Critics Consensus

Little Buddha's storytelling may be too childlike to best service its audacious plot, but Bernardo Bertolucci's direction and Vittorio Storaro's cinematography conspire to deliver a visually strong epic.

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Sheila Johnston

Independent (UK)

Nov 13, 2017

It is refreshing to find a heavy-hitting European auteur telling his story with such directness, and delightful to see a serious, artistically exacting film for children, even if you suspect it will soar over that audience.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Aug 16, 2017

3.5/4

In a quiet way, this gorgeous movies accomplishes many things.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Dec 7, 2007

Bertolucci's celebrated burnt-orange-and-burnished-lemon look remains handsome, and the story itself still commands some interest as a pivot into daunting material.

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Armond White

National Review

Aug 22, 2025

Little Buddha is peak Bertolucci, which is to say, peak cinema, opulent and awesome, with camera movement that follows thought so that our reception of information provides the joy of learning.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Jul 28, 2025

2.5/5

Although it's a visually resplendent and respectable-on-paper swing for a child-friendly spiritual journey, "Little Buddha" is a gentle and gorgeous that's hopelessly misguided and fatally miscast (although not exactly for the role you may suspect).

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Jas Keimig

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Jan 11, 2022

This Bernardo Bertolucci film feels like two films stuck together, one more compelling than the other.

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Wendy B

@WoodlandElf Dec 9, 2024

I really loved the first half of the movie and then it just got too complicated and boring. I had no idea what was happening. But I loved Keanu Reeves.

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Paul E

@PassoutTomatoes Feb 28, 2022

I really wanted to like this movie, but it is just trying to do too much and left me wanting more closure on the main story.

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Feb 25, 2020

This is one of my all time favorites. It may, however, be somewhat confusing to someone who has no familiarity with the teachings of the Buddha.

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Jul 5, 2017

Brilliant Film. Quite Possibly the Most Underrated Modern Creative Storytelling of Siddhartha and Valuable Insight into Tibetan Buddhism Concepts and Traditional Values... A Must See for anyone Buddhist or Exploring the Concept of Reincarnation ~~ #PurposefulSources #ProperPerspective #ProductiveEngagement #DivineBirthright #DivineFriendship | 777ADVENTURES

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Nov 22, 2016

Excellent movie. As a kid grew up in Dominican Republic, from a the middle class (maybe poor in other place of the planet) I only can dream with the Asian countries through the dictionary or some magazines. We dont have cable, but during the 90' Bertolucci was famous for The Last Emperor (The Last Tango was banned and as a 90's child I cannot get any information) That make me imaging China, and try to figured it how to speak chinese. At the same time I have the opportunity to met taiwanese people and for the first time I have the opportunity to listen about Siddharta story then when I was ten finally they broadcast the film in the public television of my country. Now I am in Taiwan and my wife is taiwanese. So althougt Bertolucci have the Last Tango he demonstrated with the others film, he shows his capacity to be a good director.

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May 10, 2016

Little Buddha reminded me of 'The Princess' Bride' but that it tells it's story in a more down-to-earth, realistic & emotional kind of fashion. Keanu Reeves is always a delight to watch as well.

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Bernardo Bertolucci

Director

Keanu Reeves

Siddhartha

Chris Isaak

Dean Conrad

Bridget Fonda

Lisa Conrad

Alex Wiesendanger

Jesse Conrad

Ying Ruocheng

Lama Norbu

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Synopsis

Drawing on Buddhist history to weave a metaphor about the tragedy of Tibetans in exile, Little Buddha is Bernardo Bertolucci's stunning follow-up to The Sheltering Sky. In this religious tour-de-fource, a Buddhist monk, Lama Norbu (Ying Ruocheng), believes that a 10-year-old American boy, Jesse (Alex Wiesendanger), is the reincarnation of his spiritual teacher, Lama Dorje. Jesse's father, Dean (Chris Isaak, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me), and mother, Lisa (Bridget Fonda, Jackie Brown), are skeptical, but following his business partner's suicide, a transformed Dean relents and allows his son to travel to Bhutan. However, there are two other children whom the monk thinks may also be the reincarnation of Lama Dorje.

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Producer: Jeremy Thomas
Screenwriter: Bernardo Bertolucci, Rudy Wurlitzer, Mark Peploe
Distributor: Miramax
Production Co: CiBy 2000, Recorded Pictures Company
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 25, 1994, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 9, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 12, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.3M
Runtime: 2h 3m
Sound Mix: Surround, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Dolby Digital, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 70mm

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