Man from Reno

I didn't expect much from this as I'd never heard of it before, but the photographs of the posters caught my eye so I thought I'd give it a go. This production from noted Japanophile Dave Boyle, however, really surprised me. I'm a huge fan of noir films, and I was curious how this American-Japanese bilingual film's take on the elusive genre would turn out. I was pleasantly surprised!

The characters seem quite sweet in their way. You've got the Japanese mystery author who is hiding from her fame and missing her dead sweetheart. Then you've got the friendly old sheriff, wise yet not grizzled, differing from the stereotype of a hardboiled detective in that for all his years of experience he's not jaded or glaringly cynical. He's just good at his job. Not to mention he's got his perky young daughter on his force, working smartly in this cute kind of partnership for the meantime until she overpasses him and joins the FBI.

Yet despite the cosy vibes, there's this ever-real threat. Our writer-sleuth is essentially playing Nancy Drew, yet she's facing serious danger and menace from some dodgy people. People go missing, thugs stalk her in the shadows, and you're never sure what to make of all this. Is this a cosy mystery or a Hammett-esque thriller?

This uncertainty really gets played with as the fil twists and turns in the darkness, and honestly the way it turned out bumped this film at least a star higher than I would've rated it otherwise.

There's mystery upon mystery as the crime at the heart of the story broadens in scope and becomes something larger than you thought. It's classic noir but with some cosy sweetness between characters that few noirs have, without compromising the thrill of the seedy, dark moments. I was really impressed with how it all came together, and I've found that I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

My wife being from Reno the movie title caught my eye. I had absolutely no clue what it was going to be about. I didn't read any reviews before watching it, just saw it was a mystery/crime and that's the kind of movies I like so I gave it a shot. I didn't regret it. It's a good movie but you for sure have to stay alert every second because you might miss something because of the many twists. I might even have to watch it a second time to get more answers. The mix of Japanese and English worked very well. To me the two stars of the movie are Ayako Fujitani and Pepe Serna. Very good performances both of them. Surely worth a watch or even two to get everything.

Director Dave Boyle is largely known for two things: character-driven comedies and an interest in (and understanding of) Japanese culture. While work such as "Big Dreams Little Tokyo" and "White on Rice" used the former to good effect, his latest film "Man From Reno" capitalizes on the latter in the context of a modern-day noir. In two separate narratives that inform one another, veteran character actor Pepe Serna and Japanese actors Auako Fujitani and Kazuki Kitamura all give career-best performances in parts that afford them time and space to do more than what's usually asked of them. Serna grounds his small-town sheriff with a matter-of-factness and dedication that hints at a great understanding of the character; Fujitani crackles with intellect as a mystery novelist a little too eager to live out an adventure similar to those about which she writes, and Kazuki Kitamura is finally given a role that acknowledges and maximizes his mischievous charm. Set and shot in the Bay Area of California, "Man From Reno" is a clever, noirish mystery that plays as part procedural, part character drama. Director Dave Boyle takes a major step out of his comfort zone with the film and the payoff is immediate. If you're a fan of snappy, believable dialogue and plot twists, this one's for you.

Just seen on big theatre screen. Excellent, well done suspense story, and should have had wider distribution except... 1) After the pre-title powerful open the movie drags due to far too much mostly dull character development (with a lot of just talk) that should have been cut. 2) The end goes on and on and on; the there are too many scenes that could have been handled more rapidly or the scenes cut down in length. There is a feel of a whole bunch of "false endings" before the movie finally ends. It's a shame, because this movie was definitely was ripe for much bigger theatre distribution. Still, be sure to catch it if you can, especially on a big theatre screen.

Man from Reno was a surprising delight! I'm not usually a lover of mystery movies or film noir, but Man from Reno was both serious and whimsical. I know that I like a movie if I keep thinking about it afterward, and Man from Reno gave me lots to think about: the beautiful cinematography, the intricate plot itself, and the characters. I thought that one of the strongest points of the film was the character development, as well as the actors' portrayals. Man from Reno does a lot in one film by including English and Japanese dialogue, as well as an elaborate story; however, I was left fulfilled and didn't feel like the film tried to take on too much. This movie is a great blend of fun and mystery and I would recommend it to any of my friends or family.