GETTING ANY? (1995)
Directed by Takeshi Kitano
Starring: Dankan, Takeshi Kitano
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 106mins

Rating:

Asao, our protagonist, fantasizes about having wild, passionate sex in the back of a car. The only problems for him are : (i) he doesn't have a car, and (ii) he doesn't have a girlfriend either. Through his own logic the journey begins as Asao tries to get the money that will get him the car he needs to get the women. Simple? Not quite, being a straight comedy (well through Kitano's eyes at least) this madcap farce encapsulates everything from slapstick, yakuza, samurai and monster movies all parodied for its fullest, sometimes basest effect.

It took me a while, but I got it in the end. Six years from its release - I finally managed to procure a DVD of "Getting Any?" from Hong Kong. Now, potential viewers must not that this is not your typical Kitano movie. For those who grew to know him as a director of wonderfully off-kilter Yakuza films, may find the attempts at humour on display in "Getting Any?" a little unusual. But for those accustomed to his humour (via Boiling Point for example) there can be no denying that, for all it's flaws (there are many), "Getting Any?" provides a number of laugh out loud moments.

First up - the flaws. The problems lie in the second half of the film. This is where it seems the originality dries up. Structurally you could argue that the entire film is a mess, after all it comprises almost entirely of bizarre sketches. But in all honesty, the sporadic nature of this film is its smallest problem, if anything it aids the enjoyment of the film by progressing at such a rapid pace. And so it is with the second act of the film - where Kitano parodies the Samurai, Yakuza, and Monster movies that "Getting Any?" loses its spark.

The problems lie in the simplistic nature of the jokes, some of which would even be rejected from an 80's teen comedy (okay, maybe not Invisible Kid). For those who have seen "Getting Any?" I'm talking about the Bath House scene, and the entirety of the Flyman sequence. More than anything it feels as if Kitano has lost the comic ingenuity that proceeds these scenes - it's especially disappointing to see Kitano so clearly opting for the obvious punch lines. There are, however, some fine moments to savour in the Yakuza segment - the skills test and the assassination attempts are fine examples of silent movie humour made contemporary. It's just a shame that as the film should progress - content wise it regresses settling for Farrelly Brothers style dick and fart jokes.

With the flaws out of the way, the positive aspects of this film (albeit in the opening act) can be appreciated fully. As Asao initially decides to pursue his dream car and dream girl (both it seems are in fact any car, and any girl) we are treated to some absolutely hilarious moments tailor made to Kitano's comic style.

The use of editing as a comic device is applied once more in a series of sketches that will guarantee to get you laughing as loud and for as long as possible.

Highlights include :- the car salesman, the incredibly surreal "building"/getting a gun, robbing the bank and as aforementioned the skills test of the Yakuza.

The content of these gags are wonderfully off-beat but credit has to go to Asao (played by Dankan) for his care-free, almost silent performance. The idea of revolving an entire film around a character who is essentially a sex starved loner with psychotic tendencies must have had producer's alarm bells ringing - but in an incomprehensible way his drifter activities prevent us from ever getting tired of seeing him fail. The only exception is in the Flyman sequence, but by then it is no longer Asao you are watching.

"Getting Any?" is as hit and miss as you can get - for every moment of comic brilliance there is another so stale and obvious that it could threaten to wipe out the memories of its brilliance. With a second act that dips to a parade of base humour it's a shame that the worst moments actually come when Kitano finally appears on screen. For all the efforts of its excellent opening, "Getting Any?" is thus, marred by its descent in both humour and originality.

Recommended viewing for fans of Kitano, just keep your expectations low. "Getting Any?" is cheap, crass but also a lot of fun.