Kin'yû fushoku rettô: Jubaku

the movie is as exciting as banking can get...yes there is a "gangster" and mafia feel to it and Koji Yakusho, Tatsuya Nakadai, and Mayumi Wakamura really give great performances but that is the problem...the best scenes are the ones with Tatsuya Nakadai in them and that's because he's a great actor -but- the story, based on actual events, just doesn't captivate the audience...and the tragedy of one the characters just didn't draw any emotion---if you know alot about modern Japan then this movie is for you (and I'm sure the story will be more relevant to you) but in my case I have only seen the creme of the crop of Japanese cinema from the 50s, 60s and 70s and I just plain never understood the roots of the Asian economic crisis so I just felt this movie was lacking.

This movie, based on real-life events, is about a major scandal in Japan's banking industry, and an excellent cast, gorgeous cinematography, and strong direction keep the pace moving. I would compare it to The Insider, for the same sense of tension and magnitude of events that will ripple across an entire industry. Also as in The Insider, this movie includes a storyline about the press covering the scandal as it unfolds, and quietly comments on the ambiguous role the press plays during major events.

But the real heart of the movie is the terrific cast, especially the four middle managers headed by Kitano (Koji Yakusho). Kitano is a man well aware of his own weak points, yet he's ready to stand up for a cause in a time of crisis. Yakusho is always charismatic on screen, and here his strong presence works perfectly to bring to Kitano the magnetism that draws others to him while Kitano himself feels he's not a leader. Kitano's complex interactions with Sasaki (Tatsuya Nakadai) bring the movie some of its most memorable scenes.

Don't expect high emotional drama, but rather a build-up of drama over a tense atmosphere heightened by the movie's interesting cinematography and editing. By the end, it's hard not to be moved by the extraordinary story.

Jubaku: Spellbound is a dense and dialogue-heavy film that I'll admit, I found hard to follow throughout. It revolves around people in business being typically shady and corrupt, and what happens when a few people who aren't super high within a company decide enough's enough (plus a few news reporters are there to do their part, too).

As far as dense, office-set dramas/thrillers, go, it's alright. I don't think there's much to write home about when it comes to how it was written or shot; that stuff's serviceable. I did enjoy some of the performances here, and the likes of great actors like Koji Yakusho and Tatsuya Nakadai are enough to push Jubaku: Spellbound into decent territory, even if I didn't love it by any means.

Finally a fast paced contemporary thriller from Japan! Harada manages to orchestrate the cast, crew and extra the way Kurosawa worked in High and Low, with shorter schedule and smaller budget. The shareholders' meeting episode is an homage to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and its message is quite strong under the circumstance. Japanese honchos need this kind of blow and it does have an impact on them.