The Great Buddha+

The Great Buddha+

Year: 2018

Runtime: 102 min

Language: Chinese

Echo Score: 80
Drama

Two men, known as Pickle and Belly Bottom, find comfort in a simple routine of guarding a television at night and sharing late-night snacks. When their television set malfunctions, they are compelled to examine the quiet desperation of their lives. This unexpected disruption leads them on a journey of self-discovery and forces them to confront the meaning of their existence, ultimately changing their perspectives forever.

The Great Buddha+ (2018) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Great Buddha+ (2018) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the quiet outskirts of a Taiwanese countryside, a modest security post watches over a sprawling factory that carves serene Buddha statues from stone. Night after night, the hum of machinery fades, leaving only the soft glow of a solitary television and the occasional rustle of snack wrappers. Here, Pickle and his companion Belly Bottom have carved out a rhythm that feels both comforting and oddly ceremonial, their lives stitched together by the steady pulse of routine and the simple pleasure of sharing a late‑night bite.

The film leans into a blend of dead‑pan humor and understated melancholy, painting the world with muted colors that echo the characters’ restrained aspirations. The ordinary setting—a dimly lit control room, the flickering screen, the endless rows of unfinished statues—becomes a silent stage where small gestures speak louder than grand declarations. As the characters navigate the thin line between contentment and yearning, the atmosphere swells with a gentle, restless curiosity, hinting at mysteries that linger just beyond the glow of the TV.

When the television sputters and finally gives way, the familiar cadence of their nights is disrupted, nudging the duo toward a quiet introspection. The malfunction acts as a catalyst, urging Pickle and Belly Bottom to confront the unspoken questions that have always hovered in the background of their simple existence. Their journey, though rooted in the everyday, teeters on the edge of revelation, inviting viewers to contemplate how far a single crack in routine can ripple through a life that has long been measured in quiet beats.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 02:11

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about ordinary crime witnesses like The Great Buddha+

Everyday people who stumble into a dark secret and face terrible consequences.If you liked the tense, morally bleak journey in The Great Buddha+, explore these films where working-class characters accidentally witness a crime. These stories capture the quiet desperation and existential dread of being powerless against corruption, leading to similar feelings of oppression and tragic consequences.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with a mundane life disrupted by an accidental discovery of a crime, often committed by someone in power. The protagonists, ill-equipped to handle the situation, are consumed by paranoia and fear as they grapple with the moral dilemma of what to do. The story unfolds as a steady, tense build-up towards an inevitable, often tragic, climax where their powerlessness is starkly revealed.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together because they share a specific character archetype (the powerless witness) and a core plot catalyst (witnessing a crime). They consistently evoke a mood of claustrophobic dread and explore themes of class disparity, corruption, and the high cost of truth in an unjust world.

Slow burn dramas with tense dread like The Great Buddha+

Stories where a monotonous life slowly unravels into profound anxiety.Fans of The Great Buddha+'s methodical pacing and oppressive atmosphere will find similar experiences here. Discover movies that use a slow burn to transform quiet, mundane settings into pressure cookers of psychological tension, leading to similarly heavy emotional outcomes and themes of existential crisis.

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Narrative Summary

The emotional journey is key: these narratives begin in a state of stillness or repetitive routine. A seemingly minor disruption or discovery acts as a catalyst, initiating a gradual but relentless escalation of tension and anxiety. The structure is often straightforward, focusing on the internal psychological unraveling of the characters rather than complex plot twists, building towards a powerful, often devastating, release.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their distinctive pacing and mood. They prioritize a steady, immersive build of atmospheric dread over fast-paced action, creating a specific viewing experience defined by lingering unease, a somber tone, and a climax that delivers on the promised emotional weight.

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The Great Buddha+ Summary

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The Great Buddha+ Summary

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The Great Buddha+ Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Great Buddha+

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Great Buddha+

More About The Great Buddha+

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