Another Lonely Hitman is one of the early entries into the new revival of the Yakuza film genre in Japan that started in the mid '90s, Another Lonely Hitman follows all of the standard and possibly cliche Yakuza film themes of isolation, rebellion, and downfall, but actually pulls it off effectively. This movie came
before Takashi Miike hijacked the genre (to good effect), but still holds up.
The plot follows former Yakuza hitman Tachibana as he gets out of jail after a 10 year stint, only to find that the code of honor he both lived by, and resulted in his incarceration, no longer has any meaning. The movie has a slow pace, and a "standard" yakuza film ending, but it has become a classic as one of the first of the new modern breed of Yakuza films, and should be watched with that in mind.
It should be stated that it's not an action crime drama, in fact it's pretty short on action, so don't expect any guns blazing or people jumping behind sofas under a hail of bullets. Recommended for anyone who is a fan of the Yakuza film genre or are interested in a character study of a criminal who no longer fits into the world that created him, it is definitely worth a look.
September 18, 2010
