The Unbearable Lightness of Being
“A lovers’ story.”
Successful surgeon Tomas leaves Prague for an operation, meets a young photographer named Tereza, and brings her back with him. Tereza is surprised to learn that Tomas is already having an affair with the bohemian Sabina, but when the Soviet invasion occurs, all three flee to Switzerland. Sabina begins an affair, Tom continues womanizing, and Tereza, disgusted, returns to Czechoslovakia. Realizing his mistake, Tomas decides to chase after her.
Where to watch The Unbearable Lightness of Being in United States
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
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YouTube
Fandango At HomeClick a service to open The Unbearable Lightness of Being there. Availability last verified on July 11, 2026.
Where is The Unbearable Lightness of Being streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| United Kingdom | — | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Sky Store |
| Canada | — | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, CosmoGo |
| Australia | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies |
| Germany | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies |
| France | — | ARTE Boutique, Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| Spain | Filmin | Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| Brazil | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| Japan | — | Google Play Movies |
| South Korea | wavve | wavve |
About The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a 1988 English-language drama and romance film directed by Philip Kaufman. The cast is led by Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin. It has a runtime of 2h 51m. Viewers rate it 6.9/10 across 500 ratings. In United States, it is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being was produced by The Saul Zaentz Company and made in United States of America. It was released on February 5, 1988, and carries a R certification. Made on a budget of about $17 million, it went on to gross $10 million worldwide.
- Director
- Philip Kaufman
- Writers
- Jean-Claude Carrière, Philip Kaufman
- Release date
- February 5, 1988
- Original language
- English
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- United States of America
- Budget
- $17 million
- Box office
- $10 million
- Production
- The Saul Zaentz Company
The Unbearable Lightness of Being cast & crew
The Unbearable Lightness of Being was directed by Philip Kaufman and written by Jean-Claude Carrière and Philip Kaufman.
The cast features Daniel Day-Lewis as Tomas, Juliette Binoche as Tereza, Lena Olin as Sabina, Derek de Lint as Franz, Stellan Skarsgård as The Engineer, and Erland Josephson as The Ambassador.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Mark Adler, cinematography is by Sven Nykvist, and it was produced by Bertil Ohlsson and Saul Zaentz.
Is The Unbearable Lightness of Being worth watching?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being holds an audience score of 6.9/10 from 520 ratings, a solidly received drama films.
At 2h 51m, it's a full-evening commitment.
If you enjoy drama and romance, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Unbearable Lightness of Being isn't on a subscription service in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Daniel Day-Lewis
Tomas
Juliette Binoche
Tereza
Lena Olin
Sabina
Derek de Lint
Franz
Stellan Skarsgård
The Engineer
Erland Josephson
The Ambassador
Pavel Landovský
Pavel
Donald Moffat
Chief Surgeon
Daniel Olbrychski
Interior Ministry Official
Tomasz Borkowy
Jiri
Bruce Myers
Czech Editor
Pavel Slabý
Pavel's Nephew
The Unbearable Lightness of Being — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Unbearable Lightness of Being in United States?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is not on subscription streaming in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies.
▸What language is The Unbearable Lightness of Being in?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is originally in English, with audio tracks including Czech, English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Unbearable Lightness of Being?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being runs 2 hours 51 minutes (171 minutes).
▸What is The Unbearable Lightness of Being rated?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is rated R. It holds a 6.9/10 audience score from 520 ratings.
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