Live by the code. Die by the code.
A Black hitman who models after the samurai of old finds himself targeted for death by the mob.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) is a crime and drama film directed by Jim Jarmusch, released on October 6, 1999 with a runtime of 1h 57m. It stars Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman and Frank Minucci. Viewers rate it 7.3 out of 10 across 1,460 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
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Forest Whitaker
as Ghost Dog
John Tormey
as Louie
Cliff Gorman
as Sonny Valerio
Frank Minucci
as Big Angie
Richard Portnow
as Handsome Frank
Tricia Vessey
as Louise Vargo
Henry Silva
as Ray Vargo
Gene Ruffini
as Old Consigliere
Frank Adonis
as Valerio's Bodyguard
Victor Argo
as Vinny
Isaach de Bankolé
as Raymond
Camille Winbush
as Pearline
Directed by Jim Jarmusch, written by Sara Driver and Jim Jarmusch, produced by Jim Jarmusch and Richard Guay.
Average viewer score of 7.3/10 from 1,460 ratings.
The eponymous protagonist of Jim Jarmusch's 1999 film GHOST DOG is an African-American hitman (Forest Whitaker) working for an Italian mafia in New Jersey and living according to the Hagakure, Japan's samurai code. After a hit goes wrong through no fault of the assassin's own, his mafia liaison Louie (John Tormey) is sympathetic, but explains that his superiors now want Ghost Dog dead. The film follows Ghost Dog's…
Reviewed on June 5, 2018
**Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)** _Directed by Jim Jarmusch_ Honestly, I've never been a huge fan of Jim Jarmusch; he never fully captured my attention. But Ghost Dog I enjoyed immensely, primarily because Forest Whitaker did an amazing job of encapsulating the feeling of a zen martial artist. My own Buddhist training began in a Karate class with a teacher who was himself brought up in Japanese monastery…
Reviewed on April 7, 2026
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Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max and Cinemax Apple TV channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) includes Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman, Frank Minucci and Richard Portnow. The film was directed by Jim Jarmusch. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai was released on October 6, 1999 and runs for 1h 57m.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) holds an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 from 1,460 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy crime and drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
