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I have to go on record saying that Takashi Miike is one of my all-time favorite filmmakers. In less than thirty years, he’s amassed a resume that includes over one hundred movies, that in itself is something very few can claim, even more rare is the fact many of them are masterpieces of various genres. Most of them even defy being classified in any particular genre, mashing many of them together in one film. His latest, First Love, is a romance disguised as a brutal gangster fantasy.
Leo (Masataka Kubota) is a young boxer showing a ton of promise in the ring. Aside from his athletic ability, he has nothing else. With no friends and no family, things get even worse when he visits the doctor and learns he has an inoperable brain tumor and doesn’t have long to live. Yuri (Sakurako Konishi) has found herself living a horror story. Her father has enormous debt with the yakuza that she must pay off. She’s forced into a life of drugs and prostitution, she uses the English name Monica. Things are about to get even worse for her when a crooked cop and yakuza pal try to use her to take the fall for some stolen drugs that could incite a gang war. Leo and Yuri collide in the midst of chaos and their lives are thrown into upheaval, for better or worse they’re together but death awaits them around every corner. If they’re to find a way out, they’ll have to work together and fight to survive.
Like many of Miike’s films, First Love opens with a moment that will immediately grab the viewer’s attention, letting you know you’re in for an interesting ride. As the story moves along, it’s apparent that we’ve seen these types of stories before but he quickly dispels any preconceived notions of how this thing may play out. The colorful characters and top-notch acting spin this tale in all sorts of directions, keeping the audience on their toes. From the crooked cop to a vengeance-seeking girlfriend, they bring a wicked new flavor to the tale. With all the madness, it’s the final act that helps to drive First Love in cult classic territory. There’s several terrific scenes, a surprise sequence that I will not spoil, and a conclusion that shows hope and heartbreak.
First Love is not quite a romance, drama, fairy tale, or any other genre. It takes a little bit of them all and is expertly weaved into an entertaining narrative with precision by a cinematic master. A director who can go from schlock to arthouse in the blink of an eye. Takashi Miike has a method to his madness, and the world of cinema is so much better off having him orchestrate his ideas for us. First Love is just another example of this, so be sure to grab yourself a copy from the folks over at WellGo USA. Available February 11, 2020.
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