The Detective Is in the Bar (2011)
"Tantei wa bar ni iru" (original title)

Director:

Hajime Hashimoto

Writers:

Naomi Azuma (based on the novel by), Ryota Kosawa (screenplay),

Stars:

Yô Oizumi, Ryûhei Matsuda, Koyuki

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Yô Oizumi	...	The Detective
Ryûhei Matsuda	...	Takada
Koyuki	...	Saori
Toshiyuki Nishida	...	Toshio Kirishima
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Satomi Achiwa	...	Yasuko Taguchi
Tamae Ando	...	Mineko
Yoshiki Arizono	...	Kohei Taguchi
Takeshi Hijikata
Renji Ishibashi	...	Kyosuke Iwabuchi
Ryûji Katagiri	...	Kajiwara-Gumi Kumichô
Hitomi Katayama
Shion Machida	...	Kyoko Kondo
Magy
Carmen Maki	...	Maki
Yutaka Matsushige	...	Aida

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

location in title

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

10 September 2011 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Phone Call to the Bar

Filming Locations:

Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amuse, Asahi Broadcasting, Creative Office Cue

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Mixture of Humor and Violence

Based on a novel by Naomi Azuma, the movie puts Susukino region of Hokkaido Japan as the backdrop of the story. From this reason, movie attracted unusually high number of audience from that area. A sequel is already being considered.

Private eye (his name is not known) who uses a bar called Keller Ohata as his hangout gets involved in a complex web of revenge a girl is planning to make on the gangsters. In a way, he is a victim, but also it's his job. A company owner Kirishima gets murdered, then during his investigation he gets involved in some hair raising experience, until the truth and bombastic plot is revealed.

It's hard to categorize this movie. It's a bit like comedy, and bit like a detective story. There's humor, and violence that don't seem to belong in the same scene, but this movie freely mixes humor and violence. Why this private eye gets involved in such dangerous job without knowing much about his client reduces the believability of the story.

But there seems to be audiences for this movie as it was a moderate hit, and maybe the producers knows more about their audience than me. It might not be so entertaining to audiences who are used to serious private eye movies.