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Kitano -- who writes, directs, edits and stars in most of his films -- claims that after Japanese critics lambasted him for too much blood and gore in his films he felt challenged to make one with no violence. KIKUJIRO is the result and although it is very similar in the mood and pace of his other features it is much lighter in tone. Where many may expect his usual Zen-like gangster style action they'll be somewhat surprised to find that he has turned a bit sentimental and cute.

Kitano plays Kikujiro a gruff, surly bully who accompanies a lonely quiet 9-year-old boy (played rather flatly by Yusuke Sekiguchi) across Japan to find his mother. It's an odd pairing mainly because Kikujiro is quite irresponsible and doesn't seem he can be trusted with himself let alone a young boy. It's also curious that one of the unexplained conceits of the film is that Kikujiro has no car so he and the boy are forced to travel anyway they can and public transportation doesn't seem to be an option.

In all of Kitano's films somewhere along the way the main characters take a leisurely road trip where they meet an assortment of characters, stop off near the beach, hang out, play games and stare off into space. And as time creeps by they wait for an inevitable - often-violent -- predicament to disrupt their peace.

In KIKUJIRO a colorful picaresque road trip makes up the entire film and, even though Kitano directs very precise scenes punctuated with the same deadpan moments and amusing vignettes it wears thin after the first hour. The film works best when Kitano gets to be mean-spirited with the brash, loud-mouthed attitude of the character he has created. Such as when he takes the kid to a cycling track and attempts to get quick money out the kid's race picks. Only at moments such as these does the film have an edge that gives it a little more depth.

Fortunately, the movie does have some good moments toward the end when Kikujiro and the boy meet an artist and two genial Hell's Angels bikers. It's at this point that Kikujiro gets to be a tough guy and boss everyone around to humorous effect.

What's best about the film is that it is always cinematically stylistic, fresh and inventive. Few films have such bizarre angles; like shots from the inside of a champagne glass or a wacky P.O.V. from a dragon fly with the screen spilt up into a dozen or so sections.

Kitano has a Zen-like approach to storytelling, which is relaxing but it can also become a bit boring when it stops moving all together. Part of what's appealing about his films is that, although things move along at a snail's pace, there is always a tension that carries the plot along toward a somewhat revelatory ending.

KIKUJIRO is perhaps more charming than FIREWORKS but, since it builds no tension and is void of a powerful or insightful payoff, the ending feels as if it comes long before it's actually over.

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originally posted: 10/19/00 22:13:34
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