Following “we are what we are“, let’s have a look at another two family films from 2010, of a different sensibility than say, the Disney type…
After receiving accolades from critics everywhere for his peculiar style of crime drama, Takeshi “Beat” Kitano returns to a more conventional and commercial narrative with “outrage“.
And this isn’t a bad thing: his humor is still apparent although he seems more distant than usual towards his characters.
He began writing “outrage” by imagining the gruesome ways in which various characters died, then connecting the bloody dots, so to speak, into a sort of parable for the frustrated salary man such as he continues to survive in modern Japan. The head of the Sannokai, Sekiuchi (Kitamura Soichiro), is mighty pissed off at one of his underbosses who has been chumming with Murase (Renji Ishibashi), a rogue gangster he met in prison.
Murase, an older lowlife hoping to be annointed into the Sannokai family, has been peddling drugs and whores with his crew on what he considered to be his turf. Sekiuchi orders his underboss to issue a warning to his prison-pal, and the task lands in the capable hands of Otomo (Takeshi Kitano), an older henchman still hoping to climb the ladder.
The terms brothers, boss, chairman, father, business and family are interchangeable here, and the Yakuza business rearranges its molecules to the tune of “let the bodies hit the floor”. The Sannokai group/family pits its political animals of the executive class against its middle managers, the bone breakers and life takers like Otomo, those who bark and those who bite. Nice to see Kitano again in such a role, ambling from scene to scene like a feral Lee Marvin.
“Outrage” is a satisfying Yakuza story, moving fast and violently, successful enough to warrant a sequel. And as much as I enjoyed “outrage“, I hope it will enable Kitano to finance a return to more personal, artistic fare.
“Outrage” gets a solid four beans.
Brits have long proven masters at making gangster films, at times producing true classics, from “get Carter” to “sexy beast“. “Brighton Rock“, based on Graham Greene’s novel of the same title, is bound to become one as well, especially since it transcends the genre.
The book took place during the 1930s but writer/director Rowan Joffé re-situated the action in the early 1960s, an interesting move which does bring back memories to those of us who were growing up back then.
Pinkie Brown (Sam Riley) is the youngest member of a motley crew of criminals local to the resort town. They shake down merchants for protection until their leader is accidentally stabbed to death in a scuffle with goons working for Mr. Colleoni (Andy Serkis), the mob’s man in Brighton.
The small time crooks then decide to exact revenge and track down the man who shivved their leader. Pinkie first bungles the job of teaching Hale (Sean Harris) a lesson in a restroom and follows Hale with his acolytes.
What was intended as a beat down degenerates into a skull bashing when Pinkie nails Hale under the pier.
The two-bit crew now has an additional problem in that they were seen trying to get at Hale by a young waitress, minutes before his death. Since Pinkie was the one to screw up by actually killing Hale, the others task him with taking care of Rose (Andrea Riseborough).
Pinkie being a more complex character than they understand, begins to seduce Rose instead of simply killing her. Pinkie is a teenage sociopath saddled with very twisted Catholic principles, who does not know his limitations. Moved by tremendous amounts of fear and anger, Pinkie is all homicide, all the time.
Why, then, does he not simply kill Rose? Probably because of guilt and her disarming innocence. Rose is just about as emotionally undeveloped as he is and these two suddenly fit together like knife to wound. Rose’s employer Ida (Helen Mirren) will try to save Rose from Pinkie while Pinkie decides to grab control of his crew.
The final confrontation, and subsequently Rose’s fate, are unforgettable. A lot of credit, aside from Joffé’s script, goes to the performers. Riley was remarkable as Ian Curtis in “control” and here portrays a soul both tortured and hideous, reminding me of Casey Affleck in “the killer inside me“. Andrea Riseborough as Rose is fascinating in her painting of disintegration, and the supporting cast of John Hurt, Helen Mirren and Andy Serkis, among others is perfect.
“Brighton Rock” gets five jellybeans.
