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The Boy and the Heron

The Boy and the Heron

82
Balasaur Score
Worth a look

2023 · Movie · 2h 4m · PG-13

AnimationFantasyDrama

The read

A Balasaur Score of 82 out of 100, drawn from IMDb 7.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes 96%, Metacritic 91/100. Critics rate it 18 points higher than audiences do. Scores higher than 91% of the 1,079 2020s animation movies in this catalog. Streaming on Max.

Synopsis

While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy's mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the "long-awaited one."

Ratings

IMDb7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes96%
Metacritic91/100

Critics rate it 18 points higher than audiences do.

2,781 audience votes

Key crew

Cast

Stills

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Themes

loss of loved oneworld war iisupernaturaleducationcoming of agespiritualitypovertyteenage boyparallel worldtroubled childhoodsemi autobiographicalbased on myths, legends or folklore

Animation Movies on Max, Ranked

The Boy and the Heron is #16 of 60