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"An Instant Classic"-Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Sen-no Rikyu, (Rentaro Mikuni), a Buddhist priest, brought the art of the tea ceremony (often said to embody the essence of Japanese culture) to perfection four centuries ago.Living in one of the most turbulent moments in Japanese history, Rikyu gained unexpected political influence as the confidant and cultural mentor to the powerful warlord, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (Tsutomu Yamazaki).Rikyu's relationship with Hideyoshi is a story that has taken on epic proportions in Japanese cultural history.The film illustrates the classic struggle between art and politics, and between the impulse to create and the impulse to destroy.
Like England's Thomas Beckett and Sir Thomas More, Rikyu was a spiritual mentor whose integrity eventually offended his powerful master, who demanded his death.
Rikyu plays like a Japanese version of Beckett or A Man For All Seasons.
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