Kikujiro (1999)

This film sent me down memory lane to when I was a little boy with my little school-bag full of books and some snacks for break-time/recess-time.But that was a long long time ago. I have grown since then, but my heart I have kept just as innocent as when I was little. This film teaches you a lot. It shows two characters at different stages of life. Kikujiro Takeda's life is over, he hasn't accomplished much he spends most of the time at the tracks and at bars and rarely at home. He is disgusted with the hand that life has dealt him. It can be safe to assume that in the film, Kikujiro has no children with his wife.His wife, however is a ray of sunshine. She is a real sociable person and a quick talker as generally most Japanese women are.Then we have a lonely young boy Masao of an undisclosed age maybe six or seven years old. Masao is living with his old grandmother. He has been abandoned by his mother, but hopes one day of reuniting.One day receives a package, and in looking for a seal finds a photo of his long lost mother. He finds her address in Toyohashi, several hundred miles to the west. Leaving home to see his mother, he meets his grandmother's neighbors, Kikujiro and his wife. Kikujiro's wife forces Kikujiro to accompany Masao on a journey to see his mother, telling Masao's grandmother that they are going to the beach.Their journey begins. Watch the film and see what happens next. I guarantee you this film will change your outlook of life, and you will not regret the time you have spent on it.

What a bittersweet, beautiful movie! Takeshi Kitano (who writes and directs) plays a deadbeat adult who agrees to take little Masao on a cross-country summer trip to meet his estranged mother. What ensues is tragic, comedic and very poignant. The cast of characters are all rather unique and fun to watch, and the interplay between Kitano's character and the young boy is both delightful and upsetting.The film's events are divided up and introduced as events in Masao's summer diary. As he did in Hana-bi, Kitano uses his own artwork. Here his work is masquerading as the drawings done by Masao. The artwork is charming, colorful, unacademic yet unique. The drawn-out quiet pacing and environmental resonance found in Kitano's Yakuza flicks are also found here, used to illustrate the absolutely pathetic state the characters (caused by Kitano's character) find themselves in. When there is music it is charming and melodic, if simple, and never grates or becomes too saccharine. Hee hee, it's funny though -- the main theme sounds a little bit like "Chariots of Fire". And what was up with that weird dream sequence???I find Kitano's body of work to be pretty strong, and it's nice to see what a diverse entertainer and film-maker he is. This movie, Hana-bi and his recent Zatoichi incarnation are all such different movies, but they're all equally commendable. This one is pretty cool -- the first Kitano movie that usurps an adult film genre, though I would still say the message and pacing make it more appropriate for older viewers.

The last Kitano Takeshi movie for the day, Kikujiro is very much unlike the previous two movies. If anyone would think that Takeshi is only famous for, and can make only violent movies, then this one would make you do an about turn. Even the narrative style is quite different from the limited few of his movies I've been exposed to. Being PG rated (Hana-Bi was NC16), the queue of those expected to watch this film was again snaking, even though most of the (free) tickets were already snapped up.The story centers on the deep friendship which develops between a quirky, mean and uncouth middle-aged man, and a young boy. It doesn't start off rosy, as Kikujiro (played by Takeshi himself) gets assigned, against his wishes, chaperon duties to assist and ensure that the young boy Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi) gets to find his mother. So begins a road trip of sorts, with the duo encountering a host of situations and characters (aren't road trips all like that?)The movie can be seen as two distinct halves, with the first half in my opinion the more superior portion of the film. It centers upon the journey, on the quest to seek out Masao's mother in another county. We get to follow our mismatched duo through various escapades through their hitchhiking adventures, with one involving racing amongst cyclists (in a betting game), which is one of my favourite moments in the story. Everything else afterwards in this half is built up from that one incident, adding much to the comedic aspects that actually, although predictably, bring on some genuine laughs.The second half is perhaps what disappoints, with its introduction of over the top characters in 2 biker gang type guys, and a farmer. Here, the sequence of events sticks out unconvincingly, even though it's possibly trying to tug at your heartstrings and bring back memories of the days of childhood, where you have adults engaging in children's games, just to keep the children entertained. The play acting with strangers take its toil as it wore on, and became a bit of a drag with repetitive childish scenes of play acting. Takeshi isn't adorable, try as he might, and some may cringe at his "act cute" moments. Somehow Yusuke Sekiguchi, who plays Masao, doesn't seem to act cute at all, and I thought it was kind of mirroring real life - imagine between a baby and an adult, who's the one playing the fool most of the time in their interactions with each other?Nonetheless, Kikujiro is still an admirable story on friendship, amongst the unlikeliest of couples, with Kikujiro cutting a father like figure to Masao's little child. Come to think of it, it's like a road trip movie between father and son, and the braving of odds to cement some credible ties by the time the end credits come rolling.

If it wasn't for the perverted old man and the language, this would probably be a really good children's movie. Who knows, maybe it's intended to be...Anyway, little Masao lives with his grandmother and has never met his parents: his father is dead and his mother ran away. He knows where his mother lives, however, and wants to go visit her over the Summer, so his kindly neighbor conscripts her profligate husband to take him. "Mister", as Masao calls him, doesn't make the ideal companion with his absurd behavior and his verbal abuse, but they go off to adventure anyways and learn to really connect with each other.The power this film has lies mostly in its contemplative approach. It's very humorous and isn't really slow, but the camera does take the time to linger on locales, faces, and characters. For a few odd parts here and there, it's still really innocent and it seems to show that most people are kind-natured at heart, even when they project an aura of toughness and abusiveness. An interesting aside to analyze that theme would be the carnival scene, where people entrusted with family entertainment turn out to be violent cheaters, whereas even the heavy-metal biker folk are more than willing to go out of their way to help Masao.The film itself is from Masao's perspective, as a childhood's slightly photographic memory comes into play, mixed a lot with colorful imagination. The humor is the best part, as it is at times really simple but holds itself up well. There's a lot to enjoy in this film.--PolarisDiB