Yakuza and Family (2021)

Deglamorizing criminal life

Plot
We follow the life of Yamamoto Kenji – young rebel whose life changes drastically when he meets the boss of Shibazaki-gumi and becomes a part of the yakuza family.
While the movie ticks off the fundamental elements and themes of yakuza movies, such as honour, family, crime, revenge, it doesn't shy away from showing the ugly truth about the often glamorized yakuza's life. We get to see the struggles that gang members have to face when trying to adapt to the changing times and the consequences of being a questionable part of the society. The passing years bring an inevitable reality check and the movie rises the question of what is a true family and if it's possible to escape from your past.

Acting
Ayano Go gives a solid performance and so does every actor who comes on screen. We get to observe raw emotion, people engulfed in rage or torn by remorse and despair, but also silent gestures, reactions that seem so real and so human.

Cinematography
The camera work grabbed my attention from the very beginning. The movements in chase and more violent scenes are more dynamic, the camera does not just simply follow, there are pans and tilts, it slows down or speeds up when needed. There are many really beautiful shots in this movie and the good use of lighting and colours creates certain moods and adds to the atmosphere.

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a must watch

you must watch it rn, don not hesitate just go and start watching,
this movie describe the timeline of a guy that joins yakuza, and how the yakuza is fading out in the current days, but the main focus is on the relationships between yakuza family members, and the value of the family. it is very realistic so the ending was satisfying to me. this movie is one of those kind that going to fill your mind for days after watching it. there is enough dialog but at the same time it relied on acting to deliver what had to be said, and they delivered greatly, Ayano Go was brilliant i really was mesmerized by his facial expressions through the whole movie, the amount of emotions i felt is still with me right now as i am writing a day later.

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