ADRIFT IN TOKYO (Japan, 2007)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

101 minutes, 35mm, in Japanese with English subtitles
Directed by: Satoshi Miki
Starring: Joe Odagiri, Tomokazu Miura, Kyoko, Ittoku Kishibe

Showtimes: FRI June 20, 6:00pm at the IFC Center [Buy Tickets];
THU July 3, 4:20pm at Japan Society [Buy Tickets].
Note: "Buy Tickets" links will take you to the IFC Center website (for shows at IFC Center) and to Japan Society website (for shows at Japan Society). Tickets for each venue must be purchased separately.

“Flawlessly written and shot by a man who seems to have figured out exactly what sort of film maker he is and where his strengths lie, ADRIFT IN TOKYO makes it very clear that Miki Satoshi is no longer simply that goofy TV director mucking about on the big screen but that he has become one of the strongest voices in Japanese film. Yes, it’s really that good.” (Twitch)

This is a movie about two men walking down the street. Seriously. That’s it. But bear with us for a moment, because isn’t CITIZEN KANE just about a guy who owns a sled? ADRIFT IN TOKYO comes out of the starting gate with savage debt collector, Fukuhara (Tomokazu Miura), busting into the apartment of, Takemura (Joe Odagiri). a grubby half-assed law school student who’s run up almost $10,000 in debt. Before he can say “Aquafresh” he’s got a dirty sock stuffed in his mouth, his ID is in Fukuhara’s pocket, and he’s got three days to pay it all back or sharp objects are going to get inserted into soft places. Being a loser, he can’t pay it back, but then Fukuhara makes him an offer: keep him company while he walks around Tokyo and he’ll give him more than enough to pay off his debt. Not wanting another dirty sock in his mouth, Takemura agrees and the two men start walking.

What happens next is the kind of movie alchemy that’s as unlikely as lead turning into gold: these unpromising beginnings are transformed into one of the year’s best movies, and the audience gets t-boned from out of the blue by quirky rhythms, unexpected moments and characters who aren’t just strange, they’re from another dimension - which means they feel like family. Tomokazu Miura, playing debt collector Fukuhara, is a veteran actor and he was a heartthrob in the 70’s (NYAFF audiences will recognize him from THE TASTE OF TEA), but here he’s sporting a mullet that would make Billy Ray Cyrus turn green with envy, and his performance is so effortless that it’s impossible to believe he’s acting. Joe Odagiri, the Johnny Depp of Japan, is such a superstar that his movies pre-sell to Korea sight unseen, but his worn-out student, Takemura, is an emotionally crippled, prematurely old fuddy duddy, allergic to memories because nothing’s happened in his life yet that’s worth remembering. That’s too bad for him, because Fukuhara’s stroll through a rapidly changing Tokyo is also a walk back through his life, and he’s determined that Takemura’s going to join him on Memory Lane, even if he has to beat him senseless and drag him along by the hair.

It’s a movie where the mysteries of the city are revealed: how do all those weird specialty shops stay in business year after year, why do lines form outside some restaurants and not others, plus what’s up with the pygmy hippo? And is it true that if you see character actor Ittoku Kishibe (who plays The Stink Monster in DAINIPPONJIN) will you really be granted good luck (Kishibe Power!) for the rest of the day? As shambling, leisurely and fun as a slow stroll around the old neighborhood on a warm summer’s evening, ADRIFT IN TOKYO has no life lessons, no learning and there are no hugs. But after the movie ends, you’ll want to skip the subway and walk all the way home.

Festivals/Awards
Kinema Junpo Awards 2008: Winner, “Best Supporting Actor” (Tomokazu Miura).