Man from Reno (2014)

Man from Reno was my first foray into the films of Dave Boyle, and from what I hear, it is quite different from what he has previously made. But if any of his other films do resemble this one, I will definitely make the effort to seek them out. Man from Reno felt at once like a throwback to great 1940s noir mysteries like The Big Sleep, while also being remarkably relevant in 2015. The opening scene - driving through fog so thick you can't see three feet in front of you - sets the tone for the rest of the movie; the plot twists and turns so much it's nearly impossible to keep up with all the new information, but it still manages to stay coherent enough that you stay on the edge of your seat, trying to grasp whatever details may stick. And through all this, a set of richly developed characters connect with you, keeping you invested in their story, even if you may not fully understand it. I left turning over the details of the movie in my head and will continue to do so for some time - hopefully a second viewing will reveal much of what I missed the first time around!

Man from Reno was a surprising delight! I'm not usually a lover of mystery movies or film noir, but Man from Reno was both serious and whimsical. I know that I like a movie if I keep thinking about it afterward, and Man from Reno gave me lots to think about: the beautiful cinematography, the intricate plot itself, and the characters. I thought that one of the strongest points of the film was the character development, as well as the actors' portrayals. Man from Reno does a lot in one film by including English and Japanese dialogue, as well as an elaborate story; however, I was left fulfilled and didn't feel like the film tried to take on too much. This movie is a great blend of fun and mystery and I would recommend it to any of my friends or family.

I really enjoyed this movie. It had a great twist at the end. The actors were fantastic. I loved how inexpensive it was for the movie to be developed and produced. Furthermore, the fact that the movie title is "Man from Reno" and the movie does not ever happen in Reno, I find fascinating— that is that the director could pull off such a successful flick when the setting is not taking place in Reno. I had the grand opportunity to view this movie in Wichita, Kansas at the Tall Grass Film Festival. I liked it so much that I want to own it. What I liked the most is how humor was introduced into the flick. So many times, subtle humor caught me off guard and made me laugh (inside not out loud) and the mysterious action kept rolling on and on. One negative part to this plot was that the police sheriff broke down the door into Aki's room when he did not know that Kazuki's character would or would not be there—drama for a neat scene was created, I suppose. I certainly recommend this film. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. And it lived up to the Tallgrass promise of the "second funnest thing you can do in the dark."

Ever see at these film festivals these badge wearers with the lanyards, the premium seating, eyes bugged-eyed from all the darkness, the concentration? How could someone see that many movies in so concentrated a time? And why? Here's your answer, one of those utterly joyous discoveries deep in the festival catalog that makes everything - the expense, taking off from work for a week, the fatigue - completely worth it. Brighter movie minds than mine can comment on things like the movie antecedents at work here (there are a ton!), to how this movie compares with Dave Boyle's earlier efforts, etc. What I can relate is that coast-to-coast smile that came over me as the movie found its gear (early) and then just held for an hour and a half as it propelled forward with one crackling and comedic plot twist after another. Standout and surprisingly deep performances from Auoko Fujitani and Pepe Serna (so, so good to see him in a role where he gets the time and physical space to really round out his character), the whole cross- cultural noir thing, and these gorgeous wanders around old San Francisco. I've seen some great films here at the Philadelphia Film Festival thus far, but at the mid-way point this one is shaping up as the clear take-away memory. Why would someone want to see four films in a day in pursuit of that hard-to-convey sensation of those beautiful and magical connections between ideas, storyline, casting and portrayals? This is why. Here's hoping this charming and well-built movie finds the larger audience it so richly deserves.