Half of a Yellow Sun

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Half of a Yellow Sun

R

2014

1h 53m

Drama

War

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Popcornmeter

50%

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52 Reviews

37%

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1,000+ Ratings

Twin sisters (Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose) from a wealthy Nigerian family take wildly different paths in life, but both become swept up in the struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic.

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Critics Consensus

While it doesn't quite do justice to the source material, Half of a Yellow Sun adapts Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel with committed performances and narrative nuance.

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Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

Dec 31, 2017

Director Biyi Bandele adapted the book, which was superb and gut-wrenching, but the film turns turgid and shies away from showing the true horrors of the war and is the poorer for it.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Aug 7, 2014

Biyi Bandele has excerpted their story from a much wider-ranging narrative, but the action here is still so tightly compressed that this feels like a precis for a movie twice its length.

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Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

Jul 31, 2014

3/4

The best of the movie finds a way to abridge the novel and still allow the scenes to breathe.

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Tom Bond

One Room With A View

Jun 11, 2019

2/5

There's nothing terrible about Half of a Yellow Sun, but not much good either. A powerful novel has been neutered.

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Alexa Dalby

Dog and Wolf

Jun 7, 2019

3/5

Overall, it's a fascinating slice of modern history that may be unfamiliar to some, which can also give us an insight into the making of contemporary Nigeria.

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Cate Young

BattyMamzelle

Mar 10, 2019

3/5

Half Of A Yellow Sun is a compelling drama [that] ( ... ) form[s] a timeless tribute to the resistance of the human spirit in the face of war time struggle.

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Daniel I

@RT47475128 May 26, 2026

While I think the movie is great, it's shallow compared to the book

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Stephen C

@bob25009 May 30, 2025

What the flying ****?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Dianne V

@RT73961890 Dec 4, 2024

If you've read the book, the movie is a complete waste of time. Total disservice to the book. The plot was rushed and key details were left out. In my opinion, this should have been a miniseries or something.

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Mar 18, 2020

Felt very rushed and incomplete compared to the book but still some emotional scenes with a great cast

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May 14, 2017

WARNING YOU HAVE GOT TO WATCH THE END OF THE CREDITS THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE AS SOMETHING HAPPENES AT THE END OF THE CREDITS THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE........

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Sep 3, 2016

The film splits its plot between a strained relationship and the Nigerian Civil War, and never fully explores either aspect, however it's still a decent drama.

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Biyi Bandele

Director

Thandiwe Newton

Olanna

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Odenigbo

Anika Noni Rose

Kainene

Joseph Mawle

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Synopsis

Twin sisters (Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose) from a wealthy Nigerian family take wildly different paths in life, but both become swept up in the struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic.

Director: Biyi Bandele
Producer: Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan
Screenwriter: Biyi Bandele
Distributor: Monterey Media
Production Co: British Film Institute, Lipsync Productions
Rating: R (Some Violence|Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 29, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $53.6K
Runtime: 1h 53m

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