The Confidence Man JP: Princess (2020) [Film Review]

The Confidence Man JP: Princess; or, Anything Goes in Malaysia

     What you see isn’t always real. What’s real? What’s fake? Was Princess Diana’s death really an accident? Did Cinderella drop her glass slipper on purpose? Princess Kaguya demanded treasure from the rich, then vanished to the moon. Was she a scammer too? Welcome to the world of confidence men!
After checking out the first Confidence Man JP theatrical movie from 2019, I had low expectations for the sequel. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised because Princess is a brilliant and ridiculously entertaining film that does justice to the whole franchise.

Release Info

Directed by: Ryo Tanaka Starring: Masami Nagasawa, Masahiro Higashide, Fumiyo Kohinata, Shinya Kote

Language: Japanese Original Title: コンフィデンスマンJP プリンセス編 Runtime: 124 min

Synopsis
Two years after their ordeal in Hong Kong, Dako (Masami Nagasawa), Boku-chan (Masahiro HIgashide), and Richard (Fumiyo Kohinata) join forces again in order to trick the Fu family from Langkawi, Malaysia. After the death of Richard Fu (Kinya Kitaoji), the head of the family, his three spoiled children are left out of the will because everything is to be inherited by a certain Michelle Fu, an illegitimate daughter who is missing. The team takes advantage of this situation by introducing their own “Michelle Fu” played by Kokkuri (Nagisa Sekimizu), a daughter of Dako’s old friend.

Slipping Through My Fingers
Evidently, director Ryo Tanaka and Ryota Kosawa have learned their lesson from the first film and turned Princess into a truly cinematic experience. This motion picture is funny, exciting, suspenseful, and, above all, touching. However, in order to fully enjoy it, you need to at least check out the first episode of the drama, SP feature, and the first movie. In the universe of The Confidence Man JP, everything is interconnected and thus many familiar faces make brief appearances as well as contribute to the storyline with their own mini-subplots.

Nevertheless, returning characters are not the core of this picture. The Confidence Man JP: Princess feels with its light-hearted style, exotic locations, vibrant costumes, and lavish production design like Mamma Mia! (2008), but without ABBA songs. Instead, we get the usual magic from our favourite hustlers, sprinkled with a heart-warming message about believing in oneself and never giving up.

In terms of performances, the entirety of the main cast gave their very best. Apart from brilliant performances of Masami Nagasawa, Masahiro Higaside, and Fumiyo Kohinata, I particularly liked the return of Haruma Miura and Yuko Takeuchi. May their souls rest in peace. Nagisa Sekimizu also had wonderful onscreen chemistry with Masami (their scenes are the best!). In addition, Vivian Hsu and Kyohei Shibata were absolutely amazing in supporting roles. Especially Shibata as the family’s caretaker won me over. This guy would make an amazing Alfred in a Batman movie.

What is more, keep an eye out on small but extremely hilarious appearances of Mari Hamada, Kenichi Takito, Kinya Kitaoji, Dewi Soekarno, and GACKT! I also think it’s also not much of a spoiler to say that Yosuke Eguchi reprises his role as Akaboshi. At first, I thought the subplot with Akaboshi is just flogging a dead horse at this point in the franchise, but his short confrontation with the confidence team actually works very well in Princess.

Last but not least, I have to praise the effort of the cast in terms of handling multilingual dialogue. It is great fun to hear Masami, Masahiro, and Fumiyo communicating in Japanese, English, and Malay. Also, Vivian Hsu handled her English dialogue like a boss.

Recommendations
All things considered, The Confidence Man JP: Princess delivers on all fronts. It is everything I wanted it to be and so much more! FujiTV advertised the film as the final entry in the series, but I need at least six more movies! I strongly hope that they will get round to making the third part sometime soon. In my book, Princess is easily one of the best productions of 2020.Overall score: 9/10

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The Confidence Man JP: The Movie (2019) [Film Review]

The Confidence Man JP: The Movie; To Live and Die in Hong Kong

     What you see may not be reality. What is real and what is fake? Did Adam and Eve really love each other? Are celebrity couples in the entertainment industry putting up a show for business? Only love knows the truth. Welcome to the world of confidence men!
Freshly after finishing the drama, I jumped onto The Confidence Man JP movies. The first theatrical picture, directed by Ryo Tanaka and written by Ryota Kosawa, sees the return of the original cast members as well as many familiar faces in supporting roles. The storyline itself, however, is not entirely breathtaking.

Release Info

Directed by: Ryo Tanaka Starring: Masama Nagasawa, Masahiro Higashide, Fumiyo Kohinata, Shinya Kote

Language: Japanese Original Title: コンフィデンスマンJP the movie Runtime: 116 min

Synopsis
Taking place between the drama and the special episode, the movie presents us with the team on the lookout for their new target. Dako (Masami Nagasawa), Boku-chan (Masahiro Higashide), and Richard (Fumiyo Kohinata) are joined by a newcomer known as Monako (Lisa Oda). Together with Igarashi (Shinya Kote), they decide to con a powerful leader of the triads known as Ran Riu (Yuko Takeuchi) who is said to own a large diamond. The gang goes to Hong Kong in order to carry out their plan, but it turns out that Ran Riu has already become a prey of Dako’s supposedly old flame, Jessie (Haruma Miura). Will Dako and Jessie join forces for the con? Things get complicated when gangster Akaboshi Eisuke (Yosuke Eguchi) tries to get his revenge on Dako, Boku, and Richard.

Diamonds are Forever
Frequently, popular drama franchises kick into higher gear when transitioning from television to cinema. Be it Bayside Shakedown (1998), GTO (1999), or Hero (2007), theatrical movies always pump out the excitement factor by using a bigger budget to its fullest. Unfortunately, I cannot say that this is the case with The Confidence Man JP: The Movie. The particular film feels like just another SP in terms of script and overall execution.

Apart from a few fancy overview shots of Hong Kong, the movie does not make use of the exotic location at all. A lot of scenes happen indoors, so it is easy to forget that the characters are actually in the financial center of the world. What is more, a romantic adventure about men of confidence that always thrives on intertextual references could have placed an Easter Egg here or there to such popular movies about hustlers like God of Gamblers (1989) and From Vegas to Macau (2014), but it did not. In order words, sending our beloved characters outside Japan may have made this theatrical outing a worthwhile experience, but it ultimately became a wasted opportunity.

Once you get over the fact that the film treats itself like just another drama episode, it becomes pretty enjoyable. I liked the story focusing on courting a female triad leader and the motif involving Dako’s mysterious past. The third act is definitely the best part of the entire story. The showdown at an airport is so epic! Evidently, there is always a trick within a trick, so be prepared that Dako, Boku, and Richard will get out of a heated situation once again.

I also enjoyed small appearances from the villain characters featured in the drama. At first I thought that this is just blatant fanservice, but they actually contribute to the modus operandi of the main villain, Akaboshi, who is a total badass.

With regard to performances, Masami Nagasawa, Masahiro Higashide, and Fumiyo Kohinata are as awesome as in the drama. Lisa Oda is a great addition to the cast as Monako. The movie also features outstanding appearances of Haruma Miura and Yuko Takeuchi, both of whom tragically passed away in 2020… It is a real shame that such talented artists are no longer with us.

Recommendations
If you love the drama, then you will certainly enjoy The Confidence Man JP: The Movie. However, do not have high expectations while checking it out. It is an okay entry in the series, but I can’t help but feel it could have been more epic. By the way, stay for the post-credits scene and you will be rewarded! All in all, I hope that The Confidence Man JP: Princess (2020) will not disappoint me.Overall score: 7/10

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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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Mixed Doubles (2017) [Film Review]

Mixed Doubles; or, The Winner Takes It All
     Don't act spoiled! What you feel doesn't matter. You should shine! Don't run away! One step in front!
Tough days at work? Strained relations with other people? Don’t you just want to unwind yourself and forget about everything? Then, take that table tennis racket and join the ping pong competition together with the legendary Gakki and Eita in the movie Mixed Doubles.

Release Info

Directed by: Junichi Ishikawa Starring:Yui Aragaki, Eita, Ryoko Hirouse

Language: Japanese Original Title: ミックス。Runtime: 114 min

Synopsis
Tamako Tomita (Yui Aragaki) was forced by her mother (Yoko Maki) to practice table tennis and participate in many championships since childhood. After her mother’s passing, Tamako moves to a city and tries to live an ordinary life. She gets a job in a corporation and meets a nice boyfriend, Ejima (Koji Seto), who is a company’s representative at table tennis tournaments. It turns out that Ejima cheats on Tamako with a table tennis partner, Airi (Mei Nagano). Tamako quits the job and returns heartbroken to her hometown. Her father (Fumiyo Kohinata) encourages her to start giving lessons at a table tennis club which was run by her late mother. Tamako gives it a try and she meets Hisashi Hagiwara (Eita), a former boxer who tries to win back the favours of his family. In order to help promote the club and settle the score with her ex-boyfriend, Tamako decides to take part in a mixed doubles table tennis tournament.

Never Giving Up

Mixed Doubles (original title Mikkusu) is a 2017 Japanese production directed by Junichi Ishikawa (who is perhaps best known for his work Legal High drama). I had completely no idea about the existence of this movie until I accidentally saw a poster online featuring Yui Aragaki and Eita! I was all the more surprised when it turned out that apart from the great leads there is also an ensemble cast composed out of many recognisable J-movie/drama actors and actresses.

The movie is a well made mixture of light-hearted rom-com and sports drama. Thankfully, the script is not too cheesy and clichéd (however, who in the right state of mind would cheat on Gakki?). In addition, the overall tone of the film is very earnest and warm. It is a sweet story about finding self-confidence and love akin to Shinobu Yaguchi’s Wood Job! (2014).

Of course, Mixed Doubles would not be so enjoyable without stellar performances. Gakki and Eita have perfect chemistry on the screen and I wish we could get more movies with them. Furthermore, I loved Ryoko Hirouse’s appearance as a rebel hillbilly, Yayoi. Nevertheless, I completely lost it when I saw Kenichi Endo, Fumiyo Kohinata, Yu Aoi, and Mei Nagano in supporting roles (plus cameos from Kotaro Yoshida, Anne Nakamura, and Katsuhisa Namase). Also, am I the only one who thinks that the appearance of Yoko Maki was an in-joke reference to Saikou no Rikon fans? Yoko appeared in only two scenes, but she totally rocked as a crazy mom obsessed with table tennis. The cast of this movie is so perfect!

Recommendations
To conclude, Mixed Doubles may not be a zany comedy like Fumihiko Sori’s Ping Pong (2002), but it is a heart-warming flick which will definitely make you feel good. Go ahead and watch it with your family if you can. Even though I suck at table tennis, I wholeheartedly recommend Mixed Doubles.Overall score: 8/10

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Survival Family (2017) [Film Review]

Survival Family; or, Apocalypse Vacation

     The things humans need for survival. The first is to maintain body temperature. The second is shelter. Third is water. The food is behind these things.

We live through our daily existence without really taking into consideration small, yet grand facilitations of our civilisation. Power outages and water shortages may occur from time to time, but usually such incidents don’t last long and are limited to a small area. However, what would happen if the world’s electricity suddenly went off and never came back? Let’s find out by dusting off our bicycles and embarking on an adventure with the Survival Family.

Release Info

Directed by: Shinobu Yaguchi Starring: Fumiyo Kohinata, Eri Fukatsu, Yumi Izumisawa, Wakana Aoi

Language: Japanese Original Title: サバイバルファミリー Runtime: 117 min

 

Plot

Meet the Suzuki family. There’s nothing out of the ordinary about them. Head of the family, Yoshiyuki (Fumiyo Kohinata), is an average salaryman in a corporate company. His wife Mitsue (Eri Fukatsu) is taking care of home and does everyday household chores. Their children, Kenji (Yuki Izumisawa) and Yui (Wakana Aoi), and typical modern teenagers, glued to their phones and computers. All of a sudden, a power outage sweeps across Tokyo. Everyone thinks that it’s only a temporary inconvenience, but the power does not come back. As days go by, Tokyo becomes a dangerous place to live in, due to shortening food and water supplies. The Suzuki family eventually decides to travel to Kagoshima where Mitsue’s father lives, hoping to be able to survive in the countryside. The family sets out on a journey across Japan that will change their lives.

 

Survivor: Japanese Edition

Survival Family is the latest movie from Shinobu Yaguchi, the creator of such Japanese classics as Waterboys (2001) and Swing Girls (2003). The progression of heroes appears to be the prevalent theme in his movies, and Survival Family is no exception from it. An ordinary Japanese family is taken out of the metropolitan safe zone and put to the trials and tribulations in true Bear Grylls’ style.

 

The already mentioned what if scenario with power outage is the driving vehicle of the story. What caused the outage on a global scale? How come the power cannot be restored? These questions are irrelevant as the movie is not a horror-thriller like The Road (2009) or The Happening (2008), but rather a comedy drama. Thus, instead of people becoming cannibals, we get Fumiyo Kohinata and Eri Fukatsu on the road to nowhere. The movie tries to stay objective in its examination of a possible apocalypse, but at the same time sways into Kikujiro’s optimistic feel as the Suzukis encounter a variety of positive characters along their way.

 

In view of this, Survival Family attempts to get across the message that modern conveniences are just distractions when not used properly. The fault is at the parents, not their reliance on technology. This is especially visible in the scene where the Suzukis meet a different family (parents played by Saburo Tokito and Norika Fujiwara ;) ) who treat the whole situation as an opportunity for healthy vacation. Nevertheless, the survival skills are also important and the family acquires those during their stay on Mr Tanaka’s farm (Yasuo Daichi). It is only when they reach Mitsuo’s father (Akira Emoto) that the family finally learns how to live together and love each other.

 

With regard to performances, Fumiyo Kohinata and Eri Fukatsu definitely carry the weight of the picture. Knowing the actors from their previous works, they convincingly played a father and a mother who undergo an emotional change along their way. Also, the children did well in their roles. The movie is also filled with many small parts done by well-known actors (apart from those already enumerated, Eri Watanabe and Shin Takuma deserve a mention). In addition, the locations used in the film feel very much like a separate character. The filmmakers did a great job with finding picturesque places to shoot at.

 

Recommendations

I recommend Survival Family to every family who seeks to spend an enjoyable afternoon. This film is a definitive highlight among other Japanese releases of 2017 and one of my personal favourite movies by Shinobu Yaguchi. I liked it so much that now I want to go back and rewatch Yaguchi’s older works. Maybe it’s time for Yaguchi month on the blog? I’ll see. In the meantime, I have to check on my bicycle in case of any unexpected power outage.

Overall score: 9/10