The Guys from Paradise (2000)

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Director:

Takashi Miike

Writers:

Yôji Hayashi (based on the novel by), Izô Hashimoto (screenplay)

Stars:

Kôji Kikkawa, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken'ichi Endô

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Kôji Kikkawa	...	Kôhei Hayasaka
Tsutomu Yamazaki	...	Katsuaki Yoshida
Ken'ichi Endô	...	Toshiyuki Umino
Hua Rong Weng	...	Jun Sakamoto
Kenji Mizuhashi	...	Filipintaro
Kazuhiko Kanayama	...	Koji Sugimori
Nene Ohtsuka	...	Namie Mishima
Mai Oikawa	...	Miyuki Hayasaka
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Monsour Del Rosario
Toshiyuki Kitami
Mitsuhiro Oikawa
Hideo Sako
Naoto Takenaka

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

prison | prison life | philippines | based on novel | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

Philippines Japan

Language:

English Japanese Filipino Tagalog

Release Date:

16 June 2001 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Les Prisonniers du paradis

Filming Locations:

Philippines

Company Credits

Production Co:

Asahi National Broadcasting Company, Excellent Film, Hammers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Character based drama that works well

Miike does not wish to be pigeon-holed. Along with such disturbing films as 'Ichi the Killer' or action films like 'City of Lost Souls', he produces touching stories like 'The Bird People of China' or 'Guys From Paradise'. The first hour and a bit takes place in a prison, where businessman Kohei Hayakawa (Koji Kikkawa, who was also in Miike's City of Lost Souls) gets thrown into prison for possession of heroin and quickly finds that without money and bribes there's no hope of escaping. Whether he's guilty is not the question, rather how much money he's willing to give to the corrupt warden, and judge, and lawyer, etc.. He gets thrown into a jail cell with three other Japanese men and when they find out he's in for heroin possession he is instantly their best friend. The base of the story is betrayal, and how when things are going right it seems like you can trust everybody, but as soon as you wind up in prison all of those connections forget about you, or do something to betray your trust. It's this common understanding that unites the Japanese men in prison, and they hold their end through some very thick trouble. I wouldn't say it's Miike's best work, but it is definitely a solid film, and proves he is capable of much more than shock cinema. Rating: 25/40