Kizzu ritân (1996)

Dropping out of high school, two friends at first find success, one as a up-and-coming boxer and one as a low level gangster. Yet, their life decisions still find a way of catching up with them.

Director:

Takeshi Kitano

Writer:

Takeshi Kitano

Stars:

Ken Kaneko, Masanobu Andô, Leo Morimoto

14 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ken Kaneko	...	Masaru
Masanobu Andô	...	Shinji
Leo Morimoto	...	Teacher
Hatsuo Yamaya	...	Boxing Club Manager
Michisuke Kashiwaya	...	Hiroshi
Mitsuko Oka	...	Coffee-shop Owner, Sachiko's Mother
Yûko Daike	...	Sachiko
Ryo Ishibashi	...	Local Yakuza Chief
Susumu Terajima	...	No 2 In Local Gang
Moro Morooka	...	Hayashi
Peking Genji
Atsuki Ueda	...	Reiko
Kôtarô Yoshida	...	Eagle Asuka
Takekazu Shigehisa	...	Trainer (as Koichi Shigehisa)
Kyôsuke Yabe	...	Delinquent group

Storyline

Two buddies visit the schoolyard of the high school they used to attend, and remember their young and dumb days. They used to be the bullies in the school, until they find their own ways of life; one as a boxer, and the other as a member of the yakuza.

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Plot Keywords:

high school | comedian | gun violence | mobster | mob violence | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

13+

Did You Know?

Trivia

Takeshi Kitano's first film following his near-fatal scooter accident.

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Quotes

Shinji: Masaru, do you think we're already finished?
Masaru: Hell no. We haven't even started.

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Connections

Followed by Kizzu ritân: Saikai no toki (2013)

User Reviews

As good as anything Kitano has done

Life's hard for a couple of juvenile delinquents in Japan. Takeshi Kitano's marvelous 1996 film "Kids Return" skirts around the fringes of his better known gangster pictures to look at the seeds that, once planted, might turn a boy into a gangster or, as happens here with one of our anti-heroes, a boxer. This is a very likable, small-scale film full of all the affection of friendship where even violence seems like a necessary evil in the process of growing up. Drawing superb performances from his young cast Kitano, who wrote, directed and edited the picture, keeps things light and easy with just the right degrees of sadness and humour. This may not be one of his better known films but it's just as good as anything he's done.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

27 July 1996 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Kizzu ritân

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bandai Visual Company, Office Kitano, Ohta Publishing

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1