By IZUMI HASEGAWA, Hollywood News Wire Inc.
For those of us living abroad, cultural gaps are not something we can ignore. Although they may become less frequent with time, we still experience moments when we become aware of cultural differences no matter how many decades have passed.
Hideki, the protagonist of “Tokyo Cowboy,” experiences this first-hand while on a business trip to Montana. Moreover, the difference is quite large. As he tries to bring current Japanese business practices to Montana, he experiences not only the gap between countries but also the gap between city life and rural ranch life.
In addition, “drinking ‘casion,” a way of interacting with people over drinking, which is a specialty of Japanese people, is difficult for him because he is a lightweight drinker.
This film gently depicts Hideki’s struggles with such challenges, and is a work that those who have experienced cultural gaps will empathize with as it is full of “it’s true!” moments.
The director and original creator is American Mark Marriott, who applied to become an apprentice to director Yoji Yamada of the “Otoko wa Tsurai yo” (Tora-san)series and was involved in a movie production as a member of Yamada’s team. His experiences as a team member are said to be the basis of the film.
The story is driven by the familiar “human feelings” and “hard work of a clumsy guy” themes similar to the Tora-san movies. Perhaps it is just a coincidence or perhaps it’s because he was mentored by Yamada.
The screenplay was written by Dave Boyle, who directed and wrote the popular TV series “House of Ninjas.” In fact, I worked in Japanese media PR for his movies “White on Rice” (2009) and “Man from Reno” (2014). When I first met Dave, I was surprised he spoke fluent Japanese even though he had never been to Japan.
This work is also typical of Dave, with laughs born from misunderstandings and heartwarming moments sprinkled throughout the story. The conclusion is smoothly wrapped up to end on a high note.
What makes the ending even more heartwarming is footage of the cast enjoying a hot spring that is shown after the end credits. Seeing them relaxing in the hot spring, you can see there was a harmonious atmosphere on set during filming. Movies are strange because the atmosphere on set can be felt directly through the screen. It’s no wonder that this film feels so warm.
Veteran actor Kunimura Jun steals the show. Without him, the humor would be impossible to describe. His wild acting is as expected, and the character Wada, who goes at his own pace, has an outgoing personality so he can get along with anyone. The acting is so realistic it makes you think it is his actual personality.
Montana’s beautiful landscapes are also moving, but the speech scene at the quinceañera (a 15-year-old girl’s birthday celebration) party was particularly outstanding. This is the only scene without subtitles, but you can see that the father speaks lovingly in Spanish about his daughter’s growth, and we see the tree next to him growing with his daughter and blooming.
Emotions can be conveyed without words, but the film also teaches us that feelings can be conveyed more effectively by putting them into words. This is the signature scene that touches Hideki’s heart and will touch the hearts of the audience.
Synopsis: Hideki, who is in charge of M&A (mergers and acquisitions) for food brands at a major trading company in Tokyo, begins a project to switch to Wagyu beef in order to monetize a struggling Montana ranch. However, when he arrives there, he is met with an encounter that will change his life.
“Tokyo Cowboy” will be released on Sept. 6. For details, visit: https://www.tokyocowboyfilm.com/
Translated by Jerry Jorgenson