In 2010, Okuda Yosuke made a name for himself with his low-budget gangster comedy Hot as Hell: The Deadbeat March, the last part of his Hot as Hell trilogy. This year, he returns with a wry crime story about the fringes of Japanese society.
Every client – and there aren’t many – can see that the Tokyo Playboy Club has seen its best days. After a fight at work, Katsutoshi flees to this club, owned by his good friend Seikichi. It’s not long before hot-headed Katsutoshi also makes life impossible for himself here by beating a local gangster to a pulp. Seikichi now fears – rightly so – for his own skin. In the meantime, one of his barmen gets into trouble, so the man’s girlfriend Eriko feels forced to take a job as a hostess. As a result she also becomes involved in the rapidly escalating conflict between the owner, his loose-fisted friend and the furious gangsters.
This gangster film with unusual accordion music focuses on people who primarily live by instinct. And this results in extremely bloody, reckless scenes. Director Okuda also offers a dash of absurd Tarantino – minus the glamour – this dry adventure shows a shabby side of Japan we usually don’t get to see.
Film details
- Country of production
- Japan
- Year
- 2011
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2012
- Length
- 97"
- Medium/Format
- HDcam
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