Final Rating: 3/5
Tatsumi, a gritty crime drama from Japanese director Hiroshi Shôji, stars Yûya Endô as the titular Tatsumi, a man caught up in the world of low level Yakuza gangsters. He spends his days working on the fishing docks as a legitimate job with the Skipper Aniki (Gorô Satô) his ‘boss’. He also serves as a skilled ‘cleaner’, helping to dispose of bodies for the crime syndicate.
He’s a man, who we gather early on, has tempestuous relationships with those he’s closest with. His younger brother (Kisetsu Fujiwara), an addict, overdoses at the beginning of the film even after Tatsumi tries to stop him. Shôji makes no subtle comparison about this tragedy and Tatsumi finding purpose in trying to help Aoi (Koroko Morita), an ill-tempered young woman and skilled mechanic with a nasty spitting habit.
Aoi is the sister of his old friend Kyoko (Nanami Kameda), and Tatsumi takes on the task of protecting her for Kyoko’s sake. This arc humanizes him, certainly more than the rest we come across in his underground world, though per his character archetype, he has to present as cold and unfeeling.
The impetus that necessitates this task, is set forth when Yamaoka (Ryûhei Watabe) and Kyoko are attacked by the hot tempered Ryuji (Tomoyuki Kruamoto), oft unhinged who presents a real sense of danger, and his brother Takeshi (Ryô Matsumoto), taking money they believe to be owed to the family, accusing Yamaoka of skimming off the top.
Aoi witnesses this attack upon returning home, and flees to Tatsumi’s car. Ryuji chases after her, discovering that Aoi is with him and demands he turn her over. They flee, and Tatsumi tries to bide his time, setting up a meeting to discuss the necessary course of action with the Skipper.
However, Aoi follows him to the meeting and takes her revenge, killing Takeshi and putting Tatsumi square in their crosshairs as the Yakuza want her dead, and now Tatsumi as well, for aiding her escape. What follows plays out like a morality tale, interposed amongst other common themes of the genre like honour, loyalty and family. Tatsumi must decide whether or not to help Aoi, despite what it may cost him. We all know he will.
The script, penned by Shôji as well, by no means breaks new ground, rather like how the gangster adheres to a stringent set of rules, embedded in conventions of the genre. The dialogue is likewise to the point, lacking the sort of quips that would’ve given it a bit more charm.
Tatsumi is set up for us to root for, and in his desperation he calls in a favour, turning to fellow gangster Goto (Takenori Gotô) for help. He offers to work for him in exchange for his assistance. Tatsumi must face down his former colleagues, but makes one last appeal to the Skipper. The Skipper is presented as the methodical, more even keeled head of their family, and a man who does not act impetuously. He’s a mirror in a sense for Tatsumi as both are calculated in their own regard. It’s ultimately a matter of how you frame their decisions.
While it never rises to the heights of the epics in the crime genre, it hits the notes we come to expect and the performances are solid. Many scene cuts jump around a bit quickly, especially early on, though generally the action sequences are well crafted and visceral.
Ultimately it lands like so many in that mushy middle of good, not great, unfolding in such a way as to draw you in enough to at least care about the characters, Tatsumi and Aoi in particular, exhibiting the human nature at the heart of the drama.
Thank you to Omnibus Entertainment and Foundry Communications for the screener.
