Snakes and Earrings (2008): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2008, Snakes and Earrings is a thriller, crime and romance film directed by Yukio Ninagawa, running about 123 minutes.

What it’s about. Based on the best-selling novel about a woman who decides that her one goal in life is to have her tongue split, this is the sexy body modification movie you’ve been waiting for. While alone in a nightclub, straight-laced Lui meets sensitive but troubled punk kid Ama (Kengo Kora of last year’s SAD VACATION). Mesmerized by his split tongue, she becomes obsessed with body modification and soon wants the same treatment. After Ama’s heavily-tattooed friend Shiba (Arata, 20th CENTURY BOYS) pierces her tongue, Lui finds herself inexorably drawn to both men – and to her growing list of desires, she now adds a tattoo.

Who’s in it. Snakes and Earrings stars Yuriko Yoshitaka as Lui, Kengo Kora as Ama, Arata Iura as Shiba and Yû Abiru as Maki, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, Snakes and Earrings has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Snakes and Earrings page.

If you liked it. Fans of Snakes and Earrings tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.