The Confidence Man JP (2018) [Drama Review]

The Confidence Man JP; or, The Ultimate Sting
     What you see may not be reality. What is real and what is fake? Did Beethoven really go deaf? Did Oswald really assassinate Kennedy? Did the Apollo mission really land on the moon? Welcome to the world of confidence men!
From the crew that brought you Legal High (2012-2014) and Iryu: Team Medical Dragon (2006-2014) comes a crazy awesome drama about a group of cheats who trick someone by gaining their trust and persuading them to believe in something that is not true. The Confidence Man JP is a 10-episode production from FujiTV which, apart from impressive viewership stats, has high quality stories and features a stellar cast of the main leads as well as guest stars.
Release Info
Directed by: Ryo Tanaka, Hiro Kanai Starring: Masami Nagasawa, Masahiro Higashide, Fumiyo Kohinata, Shinya Kote
Language: Japanese Original Title: コンフィデンスマンJP No. of eps.: 10 + SP
Synopsis
Dako (Masami Nagasawa), Boku (Masahiro Higashide), and Richard (Fumiyo Kohinata) are a team of skilled con men. They frequently target wealthy (but shady) people, such as gangsters or corporate businessmen to take advantage of their limitless greed and viciousness. However, not everything is always black and white. The team almost always has to face numerous obstacles which stand in their way to get the money. Sometimes, they have to change hearts of villains as well as their victims in order to make a difference.
Hustlers and Baddies
The drama was directed by Ryo Tanaka and written by Ryota Kosawa. If you are familiar with their style from the previous works, then you already know that you are in for an exciting ride with The Confidence Man JP.
From the very first scene, the drama pays homage to the best motion picture ever about confidence men, George Roy Hill’s The Sting (1973). However, intertextual connections do not begin and end just here. Almost every episode references some important movie or drama (High and Low (1963), A Taxing Woman (1987), Doctor X (2012-2019), Zatoichi (1962), The Inheritance (1962), you name it!). It is a pleasure to catch these little winks at the audience as Dako, Boku-chan, and Richard proceed to carry out their ingenious and convoluted plans with Errol Flynn-like enthusiasm.
The only thing to expect in each episode is to be prepared for the unexpected. Just as when the viewers are certain that the main characters are in deep distress, Dako always comes up with a trump card (trick within trick) that saves the day. It is so exhilarating to see these nearly-impossible-in-reality schemes set into motion!
One more thing for which the drama has to be praised is the lavish production design. From the team’s Gondorff hotel suite through casinos to airplane showdown, all the sets look absolutely gorgeous! In addition, the music score by Fox Capture Plan group is super catchy. I can’t get enough of Obvious Lie track!
With regard to performances, Masami Nagasawa, Masahiro Higashide, and Fumiyo Kohinata are just wonderful as the leads. They have a wonderful onscreen chemistry which greatly translates into comedic situations. Shinya Kote as Igarashi also has to be mentioned, the go-to helper who always aids the team in difficult situations. In terms of guest stars, I enjoyed seeing Michiko Kichise, Ken Ishiguro, Shiro Sano, Masaru Nagai, and Naho Toda.
My favourite stories are definitely episodes 4 & 5. There’s so much parodying of the movie business and Doctor X! The episode that did not really click with me was number 6, but I believe this was mostly due to the archeology theme. The drama was followed in 2019 by a SP feature called “The Fortune”. It’s also extremely entertaining and sees the appearance of Kazuki Kitamura, Miho Nakayama, and Ryoko Hirouse as the villains.
Recommendations
If you look for a light-hearted, funny, and fast-paced drama, then The Confidence Man JP is the choice for you. I will definitely make sure to check the theatrical movies as well. The series is undoubtedly a love letter to the romantic image of maverick men (and women) of confidence.
Overall score: 8/10
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