Wasabi (2001)

In Japan for the funeral of his long-lost love, a tough French detective learns that he also has a teenage daughter and that her life is in danger from the Yakuza.

Director:

Gérard Krawczyk

Writer:

Luc Besson

Stars:

Jean Reno, Ryôko Hirosue, Michel Muller

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Reno	...	Hubert Fiorentini
Ryôko Hirosue	...	Yumi Yoshimido
Michel Muller	...	Maurice 'Momo'
Carole Bouquet	...	Sofia
Yoshi Oida	...	Takanawa
Christian Sinniger	...	Le Squale
Alexandre Brik	...	Irène
Jean-Marc Montalto	...	Olivier (as Jean Marc Montalto)
Véronique Balme	...	Betty
Fabio Zenoni	...	Josy
Haruhiko Hirata	...	Ishibashi
Michel Scourneau	...	Van Eyck (as Mikhel Scourneau)
Jacques Bondoux	...	Del Rio
Osamu Tsuruya	...	Douanier 1
Akihiro Nishida	...	Douanier 2

Storyline

Hubert is a French policeman with very sharp methods. After being forced to take 2 months off by his boss, who doesn't share his view on working methods, he goes back to Japan, where he used to work 19 years ago, to settle the probate of his girlfriend who left him shortly after marriage without a trace. There he mets his former colleague Momo and his daughter Yumi who he did not know was ever born. Hubert eventually finds out why his girlfriend left him and the reason becomes his and his new daughters problem.

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Plot Keywords:

frenchman abroad | hit with a golf ball | dinner date | will | video arcade | 

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Taglines:

For those who take their action raw.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Tous publics

Did You Know?

Trivia

The wall art that Yumi envisions for her room was taken directly from liner notes of The Prodigy's album 'Music for the Jilted Generation' which features the song "Voodoo People" that was used in this movie.

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Goofs

Yakuza member leaps at Hubert at the bank and Hubert shoots him, but the effect of the gun doesn't show blood, revealing some kind of material exploding, simulating the bullet impact.

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Quotes

Maurice 'Momo': How wonderful, Hubert. Let me look at you. You look good man, just arrived and already in deep shit.

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Connections

Referenced in Weakest link: Hitori gachi no hôsoku: Episode #1.1 (2002)

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Soundtracks

Rasen
Performed by Chihiro Onitsuka
Written by Chihiro Onitsuka (as c. Onitsuka)
Taken from the album "Insomnia"
©2001 TV Asahi Music Co. Ltd. / Melodystar Records Ltd.
©TBC par Virgin Japon
avec l'aimable autorisation

User Reviews

Great and Very Funny Adventure

In France, Hubert Fiorentini (Jean Reno) is a tough, violent, but very effective detective, who has been missing the great love of his life, a Japanese woman, for nineteen years. While capturing a criminal drag-queen, Hubert hurts the son of his chief and is "licenceed" for a couple of months. Meanwhile, he is called from Tokyo by the lawyer of his former girlfriend, who died and left of her possessions to him. When he arrives in Tokyo, he meets his former partner Momo (Michel Muller) and is informed by the lawyer about his inheritance: 200 millions of Euros and a teenager daughter, Yumi Yoshimido (Ryoko Hirosue). Sooner he realizes that the Yakuza is chasing him, looking for the huge amount of money. "Wasabi" is a great and very funny adventure, recalling the confusions of "Lethal Weapon". Jean Reno is excellent, as usual, in the role of a tough but very sentimental man. Ryoko Hirosue gives charm to the story, and Michel Muller is the clumsy and quite dumb partner of Hubert. This movie made my family and I laugh a lot, being an excellent entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Wasabi"

Details

Country:

France Japan

Language:

French Japanese

Release Date:

31 October 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

La petite moutarde qui monte au nez

Filming Locations:

Tokyo Jumbo Golf Center, Adachi, Tokyo, Japan

Box Office

Budget:

EUR15,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,560, 29 September 2002

Gross USA:

$97,220

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,366,360

Company Credits

Production Co:

EuropaCorp, Samitose Productions, TF1 Films Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1