Jugatsu

I watched this three times before I wrote my review as I didn't know what to make of it but I absolutely loved it.

It is a bizarre story that has some great moments of humour. It feels like the most Beat Takeshi film of all his films as it features some ideas that later become tropes in his later films such as baseball, the yakuza getting really upset over petty misdemeanors, sudden bursts of violence and loud brash characters facing instant karma for their obnoxiousness.

I don't know why but in many ways it reminds me of a Richard Linklater film with it's long take static shots and the loose style and openess of it's narrative.

Also the troubled youth tranferring to adulthood, guided by a very flawed adult has a very distinct parrallel to Linklater as well.