Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)

95% of critics liked it
(94 reviews)
92% of users liked it
(26,967 ratings)

Korean director Kim Ki-duk's Buddhism-inspired fable takes place on a placid lake nestled among hills on which floats a small, one-room monastery housing two monks, one old and one young. The action takes place over the course of several years, and is divided into five sections denoted by the… More Korean director Kim Ki-duk's Buddhism-inspired fable takes place on a placid lake nestled among hills on which floats a small, one-room monastery housing two monks, one old and one young. The action takes place over the course of several years, and is divided into five sections denoted by the seasons of the title. While each section tells a story of its own, the overall plot follows the education of the younger monk, a small boy in the beginning, as he learns lessons over the course of his life from his aging counterpart. Troubled outsiders also visit the monastery seeking guidance, including an ill young woman and a man who murdered his wife. As the title suggests, the film's ultimate theme is cyclical renewal. Just as the seasons pass through phases of birth and death and rebirth, so do the lives of Kim's characters. ~ Tom Vick, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Ki-duk Kim
Written By: Ki-duk Kim
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Sep 19, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Sep 7, 2004
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Critic Reviews

Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
The impression this movie leaves is profound: Here is an artist who sees things whole.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
This is as close to a Zen experience as the movies offer.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
A balm for the soul and a reminder that even in the frenetic city, the cosmos has its own steady pendulum.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The picture's extraordinary beauty is inescapable.
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
As with most collections of short stories, some are more interesting than others. And the pacing is extremely slow -- almost meditative.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
With its heart-stopping setting, gorgeous images and a lovely little story, it's as fresh as woodland dew.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
Precious few movies are so agog with wonder at the absolute majesty of nature.
Marty Mapes, Movie Habit
As the Buddhists might say, you have to experience it firsthand; reading about it is not enough
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Somber, serene and stirring.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
Hay momentos de sobrecogedora belleza (...) cuando logramos meternos dentro de un relato cargado de poesía como éste.
Mark Pfeiffer, Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring provides an oasis from contemporary rhythms.
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Spare and contained, with a timeless quality that makes it seem less a product of an individual human imagination than a collective memory...
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
This is one Eastern film that shows a world view that is very different than the Western view of the universe.
Luke Y. Thompson, LYTRules.com
Slow, yes, but never boring and frequently moving.
Jeffrey Chen, Window to the Movies
I'm sure over two dozen people have used the word 'meditative' to describe it, but, with its contemplative moments and exquisite use of natural color, the word simply fits.
Jay Antani, Los Angeles Alternative
a mystical primer on Buddhist spirituality, and an immediately absorbing story about lessons that we all must grapple with, regardless of faith and culture
Jeannette Catsoulis, Las Vegas Mercury
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring may arrive cloaked in Buddhist theory but its premise is more Halloween than hallowed.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bob S

I must watch this again. And again.
Lady D

One I watched in several sittings, which means I probably lost a little of the continuity throughout. This film could almost qualify as a silent movie, with the focus on the visual impact of the setting, characters actions and the spiritual training and then through the changing of… More
One I watched in several sittings, which means I probably lost a little of the continuity throughout. This film could almost qualify as a silent movie, with the focus on the visual impact of the setting, characters actions and the spiritual training and then through the changing of seasons and characters. An enjoyable film, but can't quite put my finger on why!
Anthony L

It?s not Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring, its Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring! Anyway, this is a beautiful masterpiece, highly recommended!
Jennifer X

Words describing my experience in watching this film: temporal, peaceful, freeflowing, organized, minimalistic. It moved while staying still. The camerawork was the very picture of Zen. I loved the cyclical nature of everything. However, it was boring.
Jani H

Kim Ki-Duk delivers again a truly beautiful masterpiece. I consider him to be one of the greatest filmmakers ever. Yet another dreamlike, slow paced film that's nothing more than a excellent package. The character development in Kim's movies is his strongest thing. Also the… More
Kim Ki-Duk delivers again a truly beautiful masterpiece. I consider him to be one of the greatest filmmakers ever. Yet another dreamlike, slow paced film that's nothing more than a excellent package. The character development in Kim's movies is his strongest thing. Also the cinematography delivers beautiful images to the viewers eyes. Higly recommended!
Drew S

Maddeningly beautiful, almost hypnotic, but I couldn't get over this nagging sensation that it was kind of...self-important. It is hard to portray austerity on film and I'm not entirely sure this movie succeeded, but you cannot deny that it's a stunning meditation on… More
Maddeningly beautiful, almost hypnotic, but I couldn't get over this nagging sensation that it was kind of...self-important. It is hard to portray austerity on film and I'm not entirely sure this movie succeeded, but you cannot deny that it's a stunning meditation on many things. Sex, love, hate, religion, all elegantly expressed with no more than 50 lines of dialogue and so many meaningful actions. This is not a movie to aimlessly leave on the television. You really have to sit down and watch it to get the full effect or else it'll just seem pointless. It's like something you'd see flipping through the really weird channels on your cable box, tune in to for five minutes, and then change the channel again because you don't know what's going on. Koreans make the most visually beautiful films in the world, and surely Spring is the flagbearer. This is, as far as I'm concerned, a successful nature movie.
Sarah G

A young boy lives in a small floating temple on a beautiful lake, together with an elderly master who teaches him the ways of the Buddha. Years later the boy, now a young man, experiences his sexual awakening with a girl who has come to the temple to be healed by the master. The youth… More
A young boy lives in a small floating temple on a beautiful lake, together with an elderly master who teaches him the ways of the Buddha. Years later the boy, now a young man, experiences his sexual awakening with a girl who has come to the temple to be healed by the master. The youth runs away to the outside world but his lust turns his life into hell, so he returns to the lake temple to find spiritual enlightenment. <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/sarah88_uk/images-2.jpg" border="0"alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> Wow, Wow, Wow!!! is all I can say about this. Possibly one of the most beautifully shot films I've seen. Such attentions to detail and the isolation of the main characters was felt by me. You could almost put youself in the film and imagine what it would be like to live like that. I haven't had much experice at learnng the religion of Buddishm but after watching this, I can certainly see why Richard Gere turned to this. I'm possibly a newcomber to Ki-duk Kim's work but I am now on the case to watch more of his work! What I noticed is the fact there is very little dialogue and the imagery and facial experssions of the characters tell the story. I mean from the opening sequence with the young monk, as soon as he started to cry-you could feel the anguish that hey was going though, almost because I remember feeling like that. I don't think I've seen a director's work which relies on style to tell the work and let the viewer come to their own conlusions. <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/sarah88_uk/sswf.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> I love the coming-of age story here, told through the seasons. There is also evidence of sympbolism and colour, which seemed to be telling the mood and feelings within the scene. There was colours to represent the seasons and much of the objects were symbolism. <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/sarah88_uk/spring_summer_sm.jpg" border="0"alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> I love the idea that you can gain greater spirituality by going to an isolated area and just emjoy what's around you. All of that you can make up your own minds. I don;t think there is one clear explanation as to what is going on, you can make that you for youselves. That's what I loved about this film-it's incredibly self-consciencous. The film manages to speak directly to the soul (or...failing to believe in the soul...something deep inside anyone watching it), and this is where it's beauty lies. Parts are so affecting that a painful nostalgia for a place you never knew overwhelms you. I also loved the simplicity of the opening doors to introduce each scene to the stunning and hypnotic ending that makes you believe in the human spirit. If you walk away with anything from this film, I hope it is hope. Anyway, I can't recomend this enough it;s one stunning film. I will now seek to find more of Ki-duk Kim's work. <b>9.5/10</b>
Christopher M

A film with good intentions that courageously attempts to regale with some fantastically profound tale of enlightenment. It does poise some striking ideas and images but ultimately raises more questions than it answers and fails to register on some vital level.
Luke B

A simply gorgeous, stunning piece of cinema. Kim Ki Duk uses his simplistic and very quiet style of film making to lead us through life. This film may seem slow to most, but it is a reflective and very emotional ride.
Gevvy S

I can't see a single thing about this film that should be improved on or anything. This film has interesting characters, a good story, and great cinematography. The shots of the floating shrine are even more stunning during the night. The film follows the relationship between a… More
I can't see a single thing about this film that should be improved on or anything. This film has interesting characters, a good story, and great cinematography. The shots of the floating shrine are even more stunning during the night. The film follows the relationship between a young apprentice and a monk. The spring segment shows the apprentice as a young boy of about 11, and he learns about morality. During the summer, the apprentice is an adolescent of about 16/17 and through his experiences with a sick teenage girl who has come to the shrine, he discovers desires which lead him to leave the shrine. In fall, he returns as a young man of about 23, full of angst and anger. He must deal with it and other problems he created for himself in "man's world". In winter, we see the young apprentice as an older man in his late 20s. He displays maturity, understanding, and growth. He begins to assume role of master with his old master no more. When spring arrives, he begins teaching his own apprentice and we see life repeating itself. A marvelous film that must be seen.
Nicolas K

Lose yourself in a spiritual journey of life and what we learn along the way.
Kyle M

Nearly perfect.
George K

Spectacular film. Masterful performances by Jae-Kyung Seo, Jong Ho Kim, Oh Yeong-su. A well-written story full of emotion and tears. A movie that captures the human spirit, dissecting its successes and flaws. One of the best films from 2004 and certainly one of the best I've… More
Spectacular film. Masterful performances by Jae-Kyung Seo, Jong Ho Kim, Oh Yeong-su. A well-written story full of emotion and tears. A movie that captures the human spirit, dissecting its successes and flaws. One of the best films from 2004 and certainly one of the best I've watched on DVD this year.
Donna D

Beautiful Korean movie with breathtaking scenery and awesome cinematography that captures the beauty of the landscape of where it is set. Story is captivating and unique which I found intriguing. It's a winner for me and worth a watch.
Alex F

Very close to perfection. Simple, poetic, beautiful, dark. Amazing.
MJS M

Eastern philosophy is something I?ve never really been able to wrap my head around and Buddhism is not a subject I know a whole lot about. Because of this I was a little worried about how well I?d be able to understand this story of the happenings at a Buddhist monastery on a lake,… More
Eastern philosophy is something I?ve never really been able to wrap my head around and Buddhism is not a subject I know a whole lot about. Because of this I was a little worried about how well I?d be able to understand this story of the happenings at a Buddhist monastery on a lake, but after a short while watching it was clear I had nothing to worry about. The film has a unique structure, it?s told through five vignettes, as you can probably guess each one is named after a season, together they tell the story of a monk and the boy he?s training in the ways of Buddha. Each vignette is set a number of years apart, in Spring the boy is a young child, in Summer he?s a teenager, and so on. I feel like each of these segments (with the possible exception of ?Fall?) could function independently as a short film, but together they manage to tell the story of a life. The emphasis here is on cycles, clearly a tenant of eastern philosophy, in which the end is only the beginning. The seasons cycle, life is a cycle, and nature works in cycles. I can?t claim to understand every cultural trait on display here (a commentary track by an expert would have been really enlightening), but as meditative as the movie can be at times, it?s never boring, that?s one of its greatest triumphs. Even if one ignores a lot of the films philosophical elements, it still works pretty well as a mere human story. This is a movie that works whether you see it as being about life or merely a life. I was also very impressed by just how much of this story was told mainly through its visuals. In fact I think the ?winter? portion played out almost entirely without dialogue. This is helped by the fact that this has some excellent camera work and beautiful cinematography, and set in a beautifully scenic location and that it?s accompanied by a pretty cool score.
Daisy M

This story of the life cycle of a Buddhist monk and a boy living in near isolation on a floating pagoda in the middle of a lake is beautifully filmed. I liked this film, it was kinda strange to understand and watch. But I liked it. From the simplicity of the opening doors to… More
This story of the life cycle of a Buddhist monk and a boy living in near isolation on a floating pagoda in the middle of a lake is beautifully filmed. I liked this film, it was kinda strange to understand and watch. But I liked it. From the simplicity of the opening doors to introduce each scene to the stunning ending that makes you believe in the human spirit. And Hope for everything on this planet, and especially a hope for our fellow man. Mistakes are made to learn by. Take these errors and accept them to move on.Like that young boy who was able to transform into the man he desires. Dialogues were very few in this film, it was the task of the actors (good job) to make us understand what was happening. Though being very different , the photography was superb and the story even being slow was touching and heart-taking.
Emily B

This film left me almost speechless, all I can say is that it is haunting and beautiful.
Linda K

Magnificent!
Richard F

As the name implies, this saga sort of circles around upon itself. Despite the predictability of the destination, I relished in the beauty of the spiritual journey.