Brother (2000)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Takeshi Kitano

Writer:

Takeshi Kitano (written by)

Release Date:

24 November 2000 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The one guy you trust to get your back when a whole city's trying to put a bullet in it.

Plot:

A Japanese Yakuza gangster is exiled to the United States. Takeshi settles in Los Angeles where his younger...

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Yakuza | USA | Bellhop | California

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Takeshi Kitano	...	Aniki Yamamoto (as 'Beat' Takeshi)
Omar Epps	...	Denny
Kuroudo Maki	...	Ken (as Claude Maki)
Masaya Kato	...	Shirase
Susumu Terajima	...	Kato
Royale Watkins	...	Jay
Lombardo Boyar	...	Mo
Ren Osugi	...	Harada
Ryo Ishibashi	...	Ishihara
James Shigeta	...	Sugimoto
Tatyana Ali	...	Latifa
Makoto Otake	...	Chief of Police
Kouen Okumura	...	Hanaoka
Naomasa Musaka	...	Hisamatsu
Rino Katase	...	Night Club Madame

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong violence, language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA | UK | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese | Italian | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | France:-16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Portugal:M/16 | Italy:T | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (cut) | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:R(A)

Filming Locations:

Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bandai Visual Company

Trivia:

The body count is 78.

Goofs:

Continuity: The car that explodes is a Lexus. When the gang see the flaming wreck, it's a different car.

Quotes:

Mo: What are you guys gonna do?
Ken: Cut his finger off.
Mo: What happens when you cut his finger off?
Kato: Ummm... he can't sing straight anymore.
[smiles]

Movie Connections:

References Scarface (1983)

Soundtrack:

Casta Diva che inargenti

Not Kitano´s best, but still a good movie!

"Brother" may be Kitano´s most well-known and successful movie, but after all it´s just another sign that success at the box offices doesn´t make the perfect movie, because it lacks in many respects: the story is too one-dimensional and delivers nothing really new, the characters are not developed enough, excluding the brilliant play of Omar Epps and, of course, Kitano himself. However, if you like heavy gunfight violence in the style of "Reservoir Dogs" or Takeshi´s elder "Violent Cop" this is the right film for you! The body count is higher than in all Quentin Tarantino/Sam Peckinpah films together and even some gore like cut off fingers and heads is brought on here and there. Once more the violent pictures are laid under with beautiful piano music what gives some disturbing aspects as well as emotional rollercoasters to this film. Definitely one of the better gangster movies of the last few years, but not the best as often said. A good film which is a little bit overrated... Can´t await to see Kitano´s "Battle Royale" - this one must be really brilliant..!