Kikujirô no natsu (1999)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Takeshi Kitano

Writer:

Takeshi Kitano (written by)

Release Date:

26 May 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Plot:

Brash, loudmouthed and opportunistic, Kikujiro hardly seems the ideal companion for little Masao who...

Plot Keywords:

Travel | Road Movie | Road | Bicycle Race | Love

Awards:

4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Takeshi Kitano	...	Kikujiro (as Beat Takeshi)
Yusuke Sekiguchi	...	Masao
Kayoko Kishimoto	...	Kikujiro's Wife
Yûko Daike	...	Masao's Mother
Kazuko Yoshiyuki	...	Masao's Grandmother
Beat Kiyoshi	...	Man at Bus Stop
Gurêto Gidayû	...	Biker / Fatso
Rakkyo Ide	...	Biker / Baldy
Nezumi Mamura	...	Traveling Man
Fumie Hosokawa	...	Juggler Girl
Akaji Maro	...	Scary Man
Daigaku Sekine	...	Yakuza Boss
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Makoto Inamiya	...	Yakuza Henchman
Hisahiko Murasawa	...	Yakuza Henchman
Fuyu Ooba	...	Hostess
Shûji Ôtsuki
Yôji Tanaka	...	Yakuza Henchman

Also Known As:

Kikujiro (Japan) (short title)
Kikujiro no natsu (Japan: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for a threatening incident.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:18+ (Ontario) | South Korea:All | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 (VET id: 101474) | France:U | Hong Kong:IIA | New Zealand:M | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Tokyo, Japan

Company:

Bandai Visual Company

Quotes:

Kikujiro: Hey, Baldy, you didn't have to take everything off jackass!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Jam session - Kikujiro no natsu koshiki kaizokuban (1999)

Soundtrack:

Summer

Funny, subtle storytelling

Kikujiro is a movie with beautiful calmness that's a great diversity from the fast cut movies today. Takeshi Kitano proofs once and for all, that he's a master filmmaker that will forever be remembered. And even though he dislikes the fame that goes along with his more successful movies (Zatoichi), it's a shame he doesn't get more recognition for his films.

Kikujiro no natsu tells the story of a kid who decides to visit his mother that he never met. Through odd circumstances kikujiro (Kitano), though absolutely unqualified, is forced to lead the kid. But as we see only moments later the boy would be better off alone, as kikujiro's fondness of gambling and (very amusing) way to treat people makes the journey a funny and quite touching odyssee.

What stands out in this movie is the simple comedy. It shows Kitano started off as a comedian, and his dialogue and acting made me almost spill my milk more than a few times. This is certainly one of his best. A great film for a quiet, rainy sunday afternoon.