Sad Vacation

Aoyama Shinji is the director of several powerful films, but above all of the three and half-hour long and very impressive Eureka, with which he made an indelible impression in Cannes in 2000. Sad Vacation is more modest, not only because of its length of two and half hours, but also because it is primarily about evoking a special, fascinating mood that is maintained throughout the length of the film.
Asano Tadanobu, who has meanwhile grown to become a cult actor, plays the son of a runaway mother and also has an otherwise very complicated past. He once killed someone but a Yakuza friend was imprisoned for it. Now he is slowly but surely returning to society. Then he takes on caring for a Chinese illegal immigrant boy. As soon as the word Yakuza is mentioned, you could think of a genre film, but the maker continues to circle this subtly. The violence and morality of the gangsters is no more important than everyday life here. The film allows space for the feelings, thoughts and dreams of its characters. Rich characters with a past and a future, albeit doubtful.
The title of the film is taken from a song by Johnny Thunders, who wrote it in memory of Sid Vicious. Eureka also comprised many references to pop music and here too Aoyama remained faithful to himself. (GjZ)

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