Fireworks (1997)

Nishi leaves the police in the face of harrowing personal and professional difficulties. Spiraling into depression, he makes questionable decisions.

Director:

Takeshi Kitano

Writer:

Takeshi Kitano

Stars:

Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Osugi

23 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Takeshi Kitano	...	Yoshitaka Nishi (as Beat Takeshi)
Kayoko Kishimoto	...	Nishi's wife
Ren Osugi	...	Horibe
Susumu Terajima	...	Nakamura
Tetsu Watanabe	...	The Scrap Yard Owner
Hakuryû	...	The Yakuza Hitman
Yasuei Yakushiji	...	Criminal
Tarô Itsumi	...	Kudo
Ken'ichi Yajima	...	Doctor
Makoto Ashikawa	...	Tanaka
Yûko Daike	...	Tanaka's widow
Tsumami Edamame	...	Businessman Throwing Rocks
Yûrei Yanagi	...	Chef #1
Sujitarô Tamabukuro	...	Chef #2
Tokio Seki	...	Old Hick

Storyline

Nishi, a police detective, has had to deal with a series of emotionally devastating events over the recent past. His only child, then preschool age, died two years ago. His wife, currently in the hospital, has been diagnosed with a terminal case of leukemia. And he develops a case of guilt when his colleague Horibe, during a stakeout which Nishi himself was supposed to be on but who, on Horibe's suggestion, was visiting his wife in the hospital instead at the time, gets shot point blank. That guilt is only exacerbated when Horibe, who as a result becomes paraplegic, is abandoned by his wife and child, with Horibe himself at a loss with what to do with his life as being a police was his sole identity. As a means to cope, Nishi becomes increasingly reckless, which affects the way he does his police work. That recklessness extends to his personal life when his wife's doctor recommends that she go home, Nishi, in the process, borrowing money from the yakuza to make ends meet. That ...

---

Plot Keywords:

police | leukemia | cynicism | japan | japanese man | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Japanese title translates into 'Fireworks", but if you look further into the basis of the Japanese character for 'fireworks', you will see that it is composed of two smaller words - 'fire' and 'flower'. And like the linguistic basis of the title, the story and style of "Hana-Bi" is the synthesis of two opposing images, one being an agent of destruction, and the other a symbol of birth and renewal.

---

Quotes

Horibe: Work is all I've ever known.

---

Connections

Referenced in Cure (1997)

User Reviews

Awesome movie!

Takeshi Kitano is great as always, and this movie is the true masterpiece of a genius. It truly has everything a masterpiece needs - excellent actors (Susumu Terajima,Ren Osugi and Takeshi Kitano himself - the usual "Kitano crew"), perfect directing, awesome plot and script, and a unique atmosphere, which is created by a mix of sorrow and joy, drama and humor , violence and love, which properly balanced create this great movie. His movie is realistic and shows us one of a million ways a man can honorably end his life. It doesn't suggests or judges anything, it just draws a picture so beautiful and real, that you can only admire it. 10/10.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

20 March 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fireworks

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$59,508, 22 March 1998

Gross USA:

$500,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bandai Visual Company, TV Tokyo, Tokyo FM Broadcasting Co.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White (surveillance footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1