Monday

Without these "enlightening" fifteen minutes (at the very end) this movie may seem quite hopeless, though. It may seem too simple, too odd, too surreal... phony even. But make no mistake: MONDAY is plotted out much more clever than it appears.

It is about a guy waking up in a hotel room with bit of a cloudy memory. Things start to come back to him as he bumps into all kinds of leads he find in his pockets. I imagine that the main thought behind it was, what the human mind capable is of doing with the means it has, and how it could be shown in a film. I can say that the creators have come a long way in showing the answer to this.

As said, it will takes time to see there is more to it than it seems. Fortunate enough, the retrospective march of events that made the guy end up where is now, makes it perfectly clear that the unrolling celluloid is to be sure of revealing a well-thought-out plot. Second, the whole story raises enough questions about the sanity of the characters as well as the people who wrote the story, that one will sit it out no matter what, if only excited with hope for a plausible explaination for it all.

It is unlikely that MONDAY (by Hiroyuki Tanaka) will be a boring experience to anyone. To many, especially those unfamiliar with Japanese cinema, it will be something different than usual, perhaps less exciting, a bit clownish, here and there the surrealistic texture will be a bit hard to swallow, but it surely will keep one curious. And that is the only thing this film needs.

This is a movie, and, I think, Japanese directors, Tanaka in particular, have well understood what this means. It isn't real life and it doesn't have to appear this way. Even though some characters and their actions seem to be right from out of a comic book, this movie is as real as (a movie) can be.

I heard someone comparing aspects in this film with Tarantino. I'm not entirely sure about that. Frankly, I believe the approach Tarantino uses in his work isn't that unique to begin with. I think it was to be expected that directors would make films the way he does some day. As for Japanese movies like that of Tanaka, I think it has little to do with Tarantino. I actually think we should speak of it as the 'Japanese approach' than the 'Tarantino approach', anyway. Was "Reservoir Dogs" not a remake of an underrated Japanese gangster film??? I think is was.

Well. Tanaka is nowhere near Kurosawa yet. But surely no less than Miike, Kitano or Nakano. I therefore rate it 7.5!

Watch it and be patient, enjoy it and be astound ;)

Takagi is just an average salaryman toiling away in a dead-end job. One fateful Monday, he awakens in a strange hotel room. He has no memory of how he got there. Slowly, he begins to piece together the journey that brought him to the hotel. Takagi discovers he spent the preceding weekend on a violent, absurdist outing as bizarre as it is entertaining. The craziest part: it's not even close to being over yet.

Sabu's 'Monday' is a delightful, off-beat comedy-thriller that plays like Kafka meets Kitano. The relatively simple story- Takagi gets drunk and forgets his weekend- is one of unexpected existentialist depth. The film proceeds as if part of a waking nightmare, where one can't be sure what is really happening and what is imagined, escalating to a fever-pitch of violence and insanity. Sabu's adoption of a non-linear narrative full of flashbacks and alcohol-fuelled hallucinogenic sequences adds to this feeling of heightened unreality. Takagi's is a trip that makes William Lee's in 'Naked Lunch' look positively mundane (particularly near its' conclusion).

The cinematography from Kazuto Sato (going under the name Kazuhiko Sato at the time) is striking work that has a punk-like feel to it. His composition and framing under Sabu's direction is irregular and interesting, making for some memorable shots that are very Lynchian in style. In the latter half of the film, things get very frenetic, and Kumio Onaga's tight editing keeps 'Monday' from getting too out of hand. That said, the sudden tonal shift from dark, existentialist comedy to over-the-top, violent horror in the hindmost part of the film could have been handled in more subtle a manner.

Kenichiro Shibuya's score is unsettlingly funky, juxtaposed effectively with 'Monday's eccentric, occasionally incongruous visuals. His usage of tracks by Tatsuya Oe (better known as Captain Funk) is particularly memorable. Takagi's dance scene in a Yakuza's club is one of the most disconcerting and unforgettable of recent years, utilizing Oe's 'Twist & Shout' to great effect.

Tomoyuki Maruo's production design must also be mentioned, as it is economic, stylish work that makes a lot out of very little. The sets are decorated in an understated manner, just as the costumes are designed in a minimalist fashion. It is impressive work that makes for another significant entry in Maruo's filmography.

Shin'ichi Tsutsumi has starred in at least six of Sabu's films over the years, most recently in 'My Blood & Bones in a Flowing Galaxy' from 2020. 'Monday' may be their finest collaboration, with Tsutsumi delivering a startlingly layered and highly entertaining performance as Takagi. Bordering on delirium borne from alcoholism, Takagi is an intense and wacky character that requires the actor playing him be willing to go to some strange places, performance-wise. Tsutsumi proves to be the right man for the job, bringing to the role levity, bravery and emotional range. It is a powerful piece of acting that will be remembered fondly by any who see 'Monday.'

The supporting cast is filled with talented actors, including the late Ren Ôsugi and the great Susumu Terajima. Though they all have relatively little to do, everyone performs admirably, with a couple being particularly memorable. Akira Yamamoto stars as a dispirited Yakuza boss who befriends Takagi and he has a commanding, introverted screen presence that suits the character most aptly. Yasuko Matsuyuki stars as the Yakuza's moll, and has similar presence that says much without her having to utter a word.

Sabu's 'Monday' is a strange, fun film that is an existential trip through a nightmarish landscape of violence and drunkenness. Unpredictable, often hilarious and occasionally too frantic for its own good, the film is anything but ordinary. Featuring a compelling lead performance from Shin'ichi Tsutsumi and a great score from Kenichiro Shibuya, it's a very memorable and outlandish piece of work. In short- to paraphrase The Bangles- Sabu's film is a lot more than just another manic 'Monday.'

Wakarimasen deshita....

Any Japanese movie involving alcohol, beautiful Yakuza brides and guns will be a funny ride into the Asian subconscious, and this movie is no exception.

It amalgamates plot elements such as drinking Whisky, hands-free peeing, Yakuza bashing, pacemaker bomb defusing, drinking Whisky, lynching street muggers, Devils, Sprites, an obnoxious but finally sympathetic girlfriend, drinking Whisky, Japanese twist dancing, smoke grenades, drinking Whisky, palm reading, fake laughter and moronic TV talk shows into an adventure of the absurd. A ride into the cesspools of one man's private hell. A blatant appeal against alcohol and weapon abuse, or a devilishly clever satire about modern day Japan and its underworld. Oh...and did I mention drinking Whisky?

If you're a fan of Takeshi Kitano's movie, you will like "Monday".

If you are a fan of Bruce Willis and expect a Japanese "Die Hard", you won't find it funny! But if you're open minded, can appreciate satire for what it really is, then you will enjoy this movie thoroughly!

Salaryman Takagi wakes up fully clothed in an anonymous business hotel and attempts to recall how he got there. A series of flashbacks reveal how the events that led him to this place escalated out of control. As the audience is drip-fed information on Takagi's weekend from hell, a series of hilarious set pieces ensues, along with a stinging social commentary of Japan's repressed, alcohol-dependent work-obsessed culture.

Tsutsumi is masterful as the mouse that roars, ranging from cowardly in a bar scene where he opts to drink down a fag dowt, to darkly heroic in his execution of an out-of-control chinpira and his moll. The supporting cast give strong performances, especially Yasuko Matsuyuki as a femme fatal, seducing Takagi like a siren call to hell. Interestingly, Matsuyuki does not have one line in the film, but is a clearly defined character. Character actors such as the ubiquitous Naomi Nishida shine in their epigrammatic appearances.

The film will have you smiling in memory of many scenes long after viewing. Takagi writing his will, prolonging the moment, was dryly amusing. Tsutumi's dance in the yakuza bar is simply hilarious. The final third, unfortunately, drags on far too long, as Sabu's sensibilities and timing seem to fail him. The moment is somewhat redeemed by the 'reveal' that is has all been a daydream, but that final stand-off flags and ultimately spoils what was shaping up to be a perfect film.

Not perfect then, but better than most. The first ten minutes, especially, are a masterclass in the set-up area of screen writing. Numerous questions are posed in the sequence, with the pay-offs arriving as the film progresses. For anyone interested in contemporary Japanese fimmaking, this is simply unmissable.

Two thirds of the movie are filled with grotesque humorous scenes, whereas at end the tone of the movie changes completely and you get a dead serious message delivered. But the good news are: this somehow works. This is brilliant movie and it got to me form the first scenes. I only wished that the two parts where stronger connected. Was there any indication in the first two thirds, that the movie has the subject: "is self defense justified?". No. It was all about palm reading, laughing endlessly and drunk dancing/shooting. I watched the movie now four times, because I can't get enough of the bar scenes. The laughing sequence is the best since Laurel and Hardy's "Fra Diavolo."