Kokuho
GKIDS | Release Date: February 6, 2026 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
80
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 10 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Original-CinLiam LaceyFeb 19, 2026
The gender questions are open-ended and the sacrifices of the artist’s life familiar ground, but Kokuho truly comes alive in the performance sequences that evoke the deep roots of theatre, and the semaphore of emotions represented in gestures, poses, strange movements and painted faces that evoke feelings beyond words. Read full review
90
The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenNov 4, 2025
Director Sang-il Lee’s feature is propelled by operatic intensity and visual poetry. It unfolds over three mostly riveting hours, with only occasional jagged lapses in narrative momentum. Read full review
88
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Aparita BhandariMar 3, 2026
The pace moves from the hustle-bustle of daily business carried out over five decades to moments of stillness from the artform – the flick of a fan and a hand moving in gentle waves, for example. The actors bring the drama to life, without being overly dramatic. Read full review
80
Little White LiesJuan BarquinMay 8, 2026
While all the variations on A Star​’s formula are tailored to a specific moment in time, what’s most interesting about Kokuho is the way it trails through an extended period of Japanese history, embedding one in the culture without feeling the need to explain its appeal. Read full review
80
The GuardianPeter BradshawMay 5, 2026
The emphasis is more largely upon discipline and commitment in the service of art, a vocational self-immolation in which the transformation of pain into beauty is the whole point. Read full review
80
Time OutDavid HughesApr 7, 2026
While it would be interesting to see a film about a woman trying to break kabuki’s glass ceiling, part of Kokuho’s charm is that it celebrates the art form as it is, not as it might be. It’s a wonderful demystification of a mysterious art form. Read full review
75
IndieWireRyan LattanzioNov 13, 2025
The central narrative, of the emotional dance between these two men over decades, holds even as the running time, while never boring you, often feels exaggerated for the sake of epicness rather than wholly necessary to this telling. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesTim GriersonFeb 23, 2026
Kokuho is a hearty melodrama with a little bit of everything — sex scandals, betrayals, unlikely comebacks, health scares — but the film’s gaudy plot twists (which shouldn’t be spoiled) belie the filmmaker’s unsentimental attitude regarding stardom’s perils. Read full review
70
The New York TimesBrandon YuFeb 5, 2026
Even as it periodically languishes, the film comes back around, with some moving flourishes, to stamp its idea: To witness these vicissitudes over a lifetime, is to see the beauty, bloodshed and loneliness of true artistic greatness. Read full review
70
Next Best PictureDaniel HowatOct 30, 2025
Separating Kokuho from most stories of artists striving for greatness is Sang-il’s commitment to capturing kabuki’s physicality. The filmmaker reminds us that greatness often comes from intense dedication as much as from the people around you. It is the art form itself, not just Kikuo’s internal desire, that makes his story worthwhile. Read full review
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