KIKUJIRO (1999)
Directed by Takeshi Kitano
Starring: Takeshi Kitano, Yusuke Sekiguchi
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Road Movie
Running Time: 121mins

Rating:

With the summer vacation looming and all his friends away on holiday, 10 year old Masao decides to track down his mother outside of Tokyo. With his grandmother busy at work, Masao finds himself guided by the stubborn, ex-yakuza, Kikujiro. Forced by his wife, Kikujiro finds himself with no choice but to help get Masao to his destination - but as with all best laid plans - they don't go as smoothly as intended. With their first stop at a cycle race gambling den this is just the beginning of a summer vacation that involves a series of adventures uncovering the insecurities of the loud-mouthed Kikujiro and creating a bond between them that neither will forget, nor regret.

Many shuddered at the idea of Kitano going soft when it was announced that the film to follow the exceptional Hana-Bi, would be a family comedy about a ten year old boy's summer vacation. It seemed that despite two perfectly entertaining forays into less violent waters (A Scene At The Sea, Kids Return) audiences were still less than excited at the prospect of a Kitano movie without the significant bloodshed. It's a shame too, because Kitano is, without doubt a very gifted filmmaker, a fascinating storyteller with an indelible gift for comedy.

And so, with unfamiliarity, Kikujiro found itself with less than favourable reviews at its time of release, with critics saying that, at best, it was average. Until now.

For me, Kikujiro is a wonderful movie with an innocence and charm that could have so easily dipped into sentimentality had it been in someone else's hands. Kitano reigns it in though, and while there are no real surprises in terms of plot, the predictability (for want of a better word) is carefully presented to us. Masao (played by Yusuke Sekiguchi) looks cute, looks sad, and looks happy - a very muted performance, any fears of some annoying cutesy know-it-all child actor are dispelled immediately. There is not an awful lot for him to do really - with the exception of running (a lot). However, while his output is more often than not reduced to expressions of sadness or joy you can't help but be completely engaged by his plight. He is a likeable, kind, respectful child who just wants to see his mother, and Kitano knows there is not an audience member out there who would prevent him from doing so.

Kitano meanwhile is on top comedic form as the title role of Kikujiro. Pig headed, and with a childlike stubbornness to get his own way, he is so irresponsible that you sometimes feel that it would be safer for Masao to travel alone as first intended, than follow in the footsteps of our ambiguous hero.

Being a road movie, minor characters come and go : a truck driver, a hotel manager, a kind young couple, a traveling author and two bikers all serve to provide Kitano's character with the humour of the film. And while some may argue that revolving the humour constantly around the stubborn nature of Kitano's character to grow tedious, I disagree. There is enough substance to his character to make each and every occasion work. After all, its not merely about being humorous, that is only the surface, the purpose of these scenes is to reveal Kikujiro's character, to uncover his insecurities. Kikujiro is a man so concerned with pride and self-importance that he will not show any sign of admiration to anyone, regardless of how impressed he may be.

And so with the road movie structure, these episodes are fleeting, but never over used, never stretched too far. Kitano's knowledge of pacing is second to none. What is so great about the humour in Kikujiro is that Kitano plays out a consistent stream of middle ground gags rather than settling for huge punchlines. Whether they be visual or vocal they come thick and fast making it difficult to pin-point a singular stand-out moment.

For every quip there is a prank to match it, but of particular interest for fans of Kitano's comedy is the re-union of "The Two Beats" at the bus stop. An exercise in Manzai by the masters, Beat Kiyoshi and Beat Kitano are top class entertainment and put our ageing double acts to shame. Their split second timing and deprecating dialogue is a touch of class and all the more entertaining considering the nostalgia element of seeing these former friends and partners re-unite and re-assume their roles with such ease.

Other comic highlights include the final third in which our eponymous hero, joined by the traveling writer and two hells angels bikers dedicate their time to entertain Masao for the last few days of his journey. It's sugary sweet but acceptably so, and you get the feeling of a communal enjoyment between the not only the characters, and the audience but also of the cast and crew who must have reveled in it's playful approach.

However, there are grey areas - and these are the results of Kitano's improvised approach. As he initially set out to make a serious, darker movie it seems that somewhere along the way one specific element of the films darker past has slipped through the net. We are talking about the inclusion of the paedophile in the park sequence. Sitting uncomfortably within the framework of the film, it is - in my opinion - a serious misjudgment in tone. It's an inessential scene that is uncomfortable and simply not funny - no matter how much Kitano tries to dilute the seriousness of the situation. It is a sign of the films quality however, that this is my one and only complaint.

Funny, warm, emotional, poignant and backed by another beautiful Joe Hisaishi score, Kikujiro is a wonderful film marred by one error of judgment. A drama, comedy, feel-good road movie, it is still a typical Kitano film. The Beat has much more skill as a filmmaker than simple bloodletting. Kikujiro is one of his best, ranking among titles as Hana-Bi, Sonatine and Kids Return. A pure delight.