Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014)

A jaded Japanese woman discovers a hidden copy of Fargo (1996) on VHS, believing it to be a treasure map indicating the location of a large case of money.

Director:

David Zellner

Writers:

David Zellner, Nathan Zellner

Stars:

Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube, Kanako Higashi

10 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rinko Kikuchi	...	Kumiko
Nobuyuki Katsube	...	Sakagami
Kanako Higashi	...	Michi
Ichi Kyokaku	...	Library Security Guard
Ayaka Ohnishi	...	Chieko (Young Office Girl)
Mayuko Kawakita	...	Ms. Kanazaki
Asami Tano	...	Office Lady
Ako Yoshida	...	Office Lady
Anna Wakamori	...	Office Lady
Risa Hotta	...	Office Lady
Hitomi Sawano	...	Office Lady
Maki Issô	...	Office Lady
Ariei Umefune	...	Office Lady
Takao Kinoshita	...	Dry Cleaning Clerk
Tetsuya Hayakawa	...	Dancing Couple

Storyline

A jaded Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried and lost in a fictional film, Fargo, is in fact, real. With a crudely drawn treasure map and limited preparation, she escapes her structured life in Tokyo and embarks on a foolhardy quest across the tundra of Minnesota in search of her mythical fortune.

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Plot Keywords:

treasure | rabbit | language barrier | female protagonist | mental illness | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

20 February 2015 (UK)

Also Known As:

Kumiko

Filming Locations:

Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,114, 22 March 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$621,127, 31 May 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lila 9th Productions, Ad Hominem Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a Q&A at the London Sundance Film Festival 2014, the director (and his brother who was not present) claimed that the ambiguous introduction was heavily influenced by the beginnings of the James Bond films that they so loved as children.

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Goofs

When Kumiko calls her Mother in the middle of the night and tells her she couldn't sleep, it should have triggered some reaction from the mother. Because of the time difference between Minnesota and Tokyo (14 hours), it is never nighttime in Tokyo when it is in Minnesota.

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Quotes

Older Woman: Solitude? It's just fancy loneliness.

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Crazy Credits

The credits are almost entirely bilingual in English and Japanese -- even though the movie has never been released in Japan as of early 2016 (either in theaters, media, or internet streaming).

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Connections

References Fargo (1996)

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Soundtracks

Darktown Strutter's Ball
Written by Shelton Brooks
Performed by Clarence Prather

User Reviews

"I'm like a Spanish Conquistador!"

"Kumiko The Treasure Hunter" (2014 release; 104 min.) brings the story of Kumiko. As the movie opens, we see Kumiko walking alongside the beach with a map, eventually retrieving a VHS tape from under a rock. It turns out to be the movie "Fargo", and Kumiko becomes obsessed with it, and in particular the character played Steve Buscemi , who buries a briefcase full of money in the Fargo snow. Meanwhile, we witness Kumiko becoming more and more aloof and isolated in her day-to-day life, including her job as an Office Lady in corporate Japan. It's only when she is watching "Fargo" that she feels alive. Kumiko eventually decides to go to Fargo. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several comments: the movie is directed, co-written by and stars David Zellner (his brother Nathan co-wrote the script). The story is a fantastical concoction that is loosely based on true events, and when I say "loosely", you should read that in the broadest possible meaning. The movie's initial 45 minutes play out in Tokyo, and Zellner captures the loneliness and isolation of the Kumiko character, still an Office Lady at age 29, perfectly. When Kumiko is caught trying to steal a huge world atlas from the library and is asked why, Kumiko passionately explains that "I am like a Spanish Conquistador, retrieving untold treasures!", to the shock of the library guard. The last hour of the movie plays out in the US, and captures the mood of the 'frozen tundra' and also the mood of the "Fargo" movie perfectly. When Kumiko is wondering the snowy fields, the movie becomes the anti-"Wild" movie: rather than finding herself, Kumiko becomes more and more lost. Please note that, like in "Wild", there are long stretches in this film where not a word is spoken. Knowing some of the background on the real life events on which this is loosely based, I was quite surprised with the ending offered by this movie… Last but not least, there is a great instrumental soundtrack, composed and performed by Austin-based indie band The Octopus Project.

I head read about this movie, and was intrigued by it. Imagine my surprise when "Kumiko The Treasure Hunter" opened without any pre-release fanfare or advertising at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati this weekend. I went to see it right away and the Sunday matinée screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great. Which is a shame, as this is a very nice 'little' movie that is quirky and off-center, yet always entertaining if not intriguing. IF that sounds like it might appeal to you, you cannot go wrong with this. "Kumiko The Treasure Hunter" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!