Blues Harp (1998)

Ambitious yakuza Kenji befriends harmonica-playing bartender Chuji, who moonlights as a part-time drug-dealer for the opposing gang. Their friendship is threatened by Kenji's plans for ... See full summary »

Director:

Takashi Miike

Writers:

Toshihiko Matsuo (screenplay), Toshiyuki Morioka (screenplay)

Stars:

Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Seiichi Tanabe, Saori Sekino

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Hiroyuki Ikeuchi	...	Chûji Yonashiro
Seiichi Tanabe	...	Kenji Shindô
Saori Sekino	...	Tokiko
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mickey Curtis
Daisuke Iijima	...	Yûkichi Hanamura
Akira Ishige
Huntley Nicholas	...	Chûji's Black Father
Atsushi Okuno
Bob Suzuki

Storyline

Ambitious yakuza Kenji befriends harmonica-playing bartender Chuji, who moonlights as a part-time drug-dealer for the opposing gang. Their friendship is threatened by Kenji's plans for advancement, as well as by his bodyguard's growing jealousy of Chuji.

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Plot Keywords:

yakuza | jealousy | bodyguard | drug dealer | friendship | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Music | Romance

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

15 July 1998 (Japan)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Portrayal of youth culture

Chuuji is half black, has a homeless father and he works in a bar. He has connections deep into the yakuza which he cares little about. He saves a girl with whom he get together with.

Ikeuchi Hiroyuki is very good as Chuuji, the protagonist that you care about in this movie. The story is a sad one with little sentimentality and told with joy so we don't get turned off it.

Miike is a promising filmmaker, but maybe he should spend some more time on each movie instead of spewing 'em out. 'Chuugoku no Chounin' suffers a little from this. Such is the case also with this movie. Its still recommended for the lead act.