3-4 x jûgatsu

Plot synopsis:
This film opens with Treasury officer Jimmy Mercer (Wesley Snipes) and his partner Brady (Dan Hedaya) doing some undercover work, when Mercer's fellow agent is shot and killed by a new man, Ronnie (Viggo Mortensen) that criminal Red Diamond (Dennis Hopper) pulled out of jail. Now on a snap of anger and thoughts of revenge, Mercer wants to find the killer and take him down before he gets transferred to Newark. Although a cop and close colleague claims over dinner that Mercer must do it "by the book," Mercer replies that "when I'm done with this motherfucker, I'm gonna put him in a box..... by the book."
A background theme is the closing of a big band dance emporium called the Palace. Lonely, Red takes hooker Vicky (Lolita Davidovich) there for dancing. Lolita is also involved romantically with Mercer, who is estranged from his ex-wife.
Red continues to try to build a relationship with his old girlfriend, waitress Mona, (Valerie Perrine). Typically, he has manipulated and betrayed her in the past.
Red is under increasing pressure to repay mob debts to boss Tony Dio (Tony Lo Bianco). He manipulates Ronnie into a crime spree culminating in the murder of the boss and ransacking his apartment. He tells Ronnie to meet him at the palace at 9 PM to split up the money. He asks Mona to meet him there as well. Mercer is building his case against Red and arrives at the murder scene seconds too late. Red is soon arrested and a net is laid for Ronnie at the club
At the club Red again manipulates Ronnie in an attempt to escape, yelling gun as he ducks. Ronnie is shot by Mercer in the exchange and Red almost escapes. As Red is taken away in the police car Mona arrives, seeing him pass by. In the last scene Jimmy asks Vicky to leave with him.
The epilogue reports that they actually did move to Newark.

Tags: violence, revenge, comedy, murder, sadist

Review:
Takeshi Kitano's yakuza related trilogy consists of Violent Cop, Boiling Point and Sonatine.
All these films are very different together, but they still share the usual elements of Kitano: Violent Cop is the bleakest, Boiling Point is the funniest and also oddest and Sonatine is like the combination of these two previous films, and Sonatine is also the greatest in the trilogy and also one of Kitano's most beautiful and greatest films.
Boiling Point is very comic, but has also some Kitano elements of beauty and peace that we could see in his forthcoming films like Sonatine and Hana-Bi. Boiling Point tells the story of a baseball team and its relationship with the local ruthless yakuza gang.
When couple of the team members decide to get a gun and fight some justice to the situation, we meet Kitano's character, a little criminal, who also has troubles with the yakuza.
Kitano's character in this film is the most perverse and twisted I've ever seen!
What follows is tragic and comic happenings as these tragicomic people try to get rid of the greedy and exploiting yakuza criminals, and stay alive at the same time.There are many fine elements in this film, and this is pretty close to Sonatine, as both films have peaceful and incredibly beautiful scenes involving sea and flowers.
But Boiling Point is definitely not a mere comedy, it is a Japanese yakuza story with comical elements.
There is a brilliant scene involving flowers and two machine guns, as Kitano and his pal decide to finish the miserable life of one yakuza team!
In Kitano's films, usually guns are for men like extended penis: so important in order to "be someone." Violence is usually the only way Kitano's characters are able to communicate together.
And this was only the beginning as we witnessed the beauty and power of films like Sonatine and Hana-Bi couple of years later.
There is no comparison for his films, they are so personal and come straight from the heart of this man.Boiling Point is not Kitano's greatest film, but still more than noteworthy.
There are many great scenes and acts committed by the characters, and perhaps the only flaw in here is that the film is little too long and slow at the end part of the film.
But once the end scene comes, it is again something we could expect from Kitano, and is pretty similar to Sonatine's finale.Boiling Point deserves 8/10 rating as a very interesting piece of Kitano cinema, and this is a hint of what was to come from this man couple of years later!.
The second consecutive film by Takeshi Kitano with an outsider who goes against the system.
Uehara is the meanest and sadistic person in a Takeshi Kitano directed picture.
"Beat" Takeshi in Boiling Point(1990) follows in the footsteps of fellow tough guys, Lee Marvin, Robert Mitchum, Charles Bronson, Klaus Kinski, Richard Widmark, Harvey Keitel, Telly Savalas, and Lawrence Tierney.
Its scenes like this that gives the film a brutal and dark comic edge.
3-4x Jugatsu/Boiling Point(1990) is the first true Takeshi Kitano film that has his trademarks of off beat images, moments of dullness, and sudden violence more completely than in his debut, Violent Cop(1989).
Also the first film that Takeshi Kitano wrote and directed on his own.
Takeshi Kitano has a passion for the sport of baseball which is why the main character is a member of his local town's baseball team.
Takeshi Kitano films a flash forward sequence that reminds me of Point Blank(1967), the early films of Alain Resair and Nicolas Roeg, plus The Limey(1999).
A favorite motif of Takeshi Kitano is the scene of people hanging out and playing at the beach.
In his best films, there is a scene where the main characters go to the beach to relax and take it easy.
These scenes show the good nature of the characters of Uehara and his best friend when they are not doing bad things.
The beach motif in Boiling Point(1990) is for the main characters a place to find peace and tranquility with its calm waves, soft sands, and cool blue skies.
Violence in Boiling Point begins and ends quickly without any regards for the aftermath.
The violent behavior from the characters of the film is something that is in all of us human beings whether we like it or not.
3-4x Jugatsu/Boiling Point(1990) is the second chapter in the lifelong "Beat" Takeshi series.
It's a great movie if you like to sit back for a while and think deeper about what you're watching - it seems that throughout the film there's not much going on - the main character remains mute for most of the time, there is no music soundtrack in the background, the plot itself is not a straightforward one - you'll get the point right only after the last scene.In some moments "Jugatsu" seems to be telling a simple and seemingly a little boring story - but a second after it blows in your face with aggression so intense that you start to think were it came from.
This is the second film of Kitano, but the first which is really his, since "Violent Cop" was not initially to be directed by him.
Though not a real 'yakuza' film, they play a great role in it, and many scenes, are they shot in a bar, on the beach or in a flower field remind us of what Kitano will shoot later for Hana-Bi or Sonatine.
A very interesting film, very satirical towards the japanese society and the yakuzas that behave violently just to convince themselves they are tough guys; even if I personally prefer his other movies..
While not as good as some of Takeshi Kitano's other films like Violent Cop or Fireworks, this still has much to recommend it.
Having heard good things about Takeshi Kitano's films, I was looking forward seeing "Boiling Point", having purchased both this and "Sonatine" in the sales, even though it broke my Golden Rule of impulse buys: don't buy any film with quotes from un-named sources on the sleeve (especially if they've got spelling mistakes), in this case "A Genuine Original", "Beautifully directed, Indispensible viewing".Anyway, the quotes were more misleading than lying, as the film definitely is both original and beautifully directed, but only really indispensable for fans of Kitano's, who don't need me to tell them to watch it.
For everyone else, it probably isn't the best Kitano film to start with.
Marketed as an action movie, the film is much more and much less: it has more heart and intelligence, but much less in the way of action or excitement, feeling more like a slow-burning drama with a little bit of gun-play and one big explosion; John Woo this ain't.
However, the acting, from Kitano in particular, is excellent as is the stylish direction: Kitano fills the screen with beautiful images and twisted humour.Worth a look, if you keep in mind that's very slow moving tale, with more baseball action than there is action movie.
Boiling Point (1990) is about a goofy guy who works at a convince store and plays sandlot baseball in his spare time.
What's most remarkable about it is the way Takeshi Kitano shoots, his camera is always static, and hi has a very personal view of violence and humor.Not everyone will understand this story that deals with amateur baseball players and yakuzas, but I guess i's quite advisable for those who love the films of this Japanese director.*My rate: 6/10---------------- ---------------- ------------------ ------------------- -------------------.
I was challenged by this film I found myself wanting to know more about one actor in particular `beat' Takeshi.
This movie contains the classical elements of Kitano's movies: Long and comical silences followed by short violent scenes, a (little) romance and nice pictures.Paradoxically, what prevented me from REALLY REALLY enjoy the entire story of this candid boy seeking revenge were the parts with Kitano playing.
Super-creative mix of crazy (but "working") story, violence, humor etc.I can't really explain what it is that's soo good, but I will ll try:Silent Japanese gansters are SO MUCH TOUGHER than tough-mouthed western ones (I'm talking movie gansters/crooks NOT "Godfather" types.
Just seeing the Japanese guys interacting is much more interesting than seeing westeners (because I'm a westerner)Their humor is soo strange (but hilarious)What can I compare this movie with?
I have recently been going through Kitano's films, and upon seeing thing, I think it's probably the one I like the least.
It has it's moments, but as a whole is too slow and bizarre for it's own good.Just like most Kitano films, it has his signature style.
The sudden violence, the comedy, all those things, but in this film it just doesn't work.
One of the big issues seems to be that Kitano doesn't show up until that later point, and it just feels like not enough of Kitano's character.
But I will say that if you interpret it one specific way, it kind of explains the general odd-ness of the film.Kitano is known for including some strange things in his movies, but this one just kinda takes it over the top.
While the movie can be quite funny, such as a scene involving an M16 hidden in a bouquet of flowers accidentally going off and causing a funny reaction, it just feels like it delves too deep into the comedy and it makes any drama feel odd.
There's also some confusing things, like Kitano's character raping his male friend, and then him not really caring the next day.
There is also a scene where it appears like we are supposed to see the same event twice, but it is all done in one take, which makes it quite confusing, but kind of impressive at the same time.
(It sounds odd but when you see him hitting her, you can't help but laugh)Overall I think this is a weak Kitano film.
This precursor to Sonatine and Hana-bi (as well as Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown) has all the elements that become Kitano trademarks - the skewered dark humour, deadpan expressions, misogyny, long periods of everyday life suddenly punctured by explosions of brutality.
This quest brings them into contact with the violent and erratic Uehara, who himself is losing to those within the Yakuza holding all the power.I have been using my DVD rental club to catch up on some foreign films recently and part of this has been watching the films of Takeshi Kitano.
Instead we have the film generally moving in no specific direction in regards structure or characters and it is hard not to find it all a bit dull.
The cast don't help by not making that much of an impression at any point other than scenes involving Kitano.
As director and writer, Kitano may have been making cultural points (as some have suggested) and that context is required but, without the film helping me get it, I have no way to get this context and as a result the film just doesn't work for me.
I'm not sold on this "context" argument because it does come from those who will not have Kitano questioned but either way the film is not a success if it cannot even serve those who are familiar with Kitano.Boiling Point is not a total waste of time as it does have moments and things of interest but as a total product it is inaccessible, dull and built on a plot that is either uninteresting, incoherent or both.
If this was the first Beat Takeshi movie I'd ever watched I'm sure I would be absolutely baffled!
The first hour or so of 'Boiling Point' features an amateur baseball player who crosses some local Yakuza with disastrous results.
The movie really picks up when Beat Takeshi's character is introduced.
Even Kitano's previous movie 'Violent Cop', which was much less ambitious (and a little uneven) was more enjoyable for me than this.
So I say newcomers to Takeshi best steer clear of 'Boiling Point', but fans will find it to be fascinating albeit flawed viewing..
I saw "Hana-bi" and thought it was good so I rented this with a friend.It was going to be a comedy but after about 20-30 minutes we was wondering what we was watching.A weird film that is almost impossible to understand and IT´S NOT A COMEDY.
When the film had end I thought it was awful and bad but a couple of weeks later I started to think about it and I now I like the acting and some scenes but see "Hana-bi" instead.2/5.
I suppose that is supposed to indicate a mild-manner man reached his boiling point, but really it just felt contrived.I suppose maybe if you are a fan of Beat you will like this movie, but he is only in it for a portion of the second half.This is the lowest I have rated a film in a year and I have seen some really bad movies..
The movie starts out with a baseball game and focuses on this character and shows how he is apathetic towards life, a born loser.
Now, this movie doesn't have a lot of blood, but every scene of violence is brutally disturbing.
The whole middle of the movie deals with their adventures with Takeshi's completely sadistic, perverted, insane character.
I guess they put that whole part in as a way to show the two baseball players loss of innosense as they witness multiple acts of gratuitous sex, dismemeberment, murder and arms dealings.The two guys return to the outskirts of Tokyo and take the gun to the Yakuza headquarters.
Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano directs, writes, and acts in this gangster comedy about the yakuza, the notorious criminal organization of Japan..
As always, Takeshi Kitano focuses on characters excluded from Japan's 'economic miracle'.
Although it gave Kitano his second director credit, Boiling Point has all the hallmarks of a film by a debut director determined to get every idea he has ever had about film, life, death and baseball up there on the screen.
This is just the beginning of a couple of days of violence.Considered one of Kitano's lesser films by many, Boiling Point is a slow paced movie that has some explosive bursts of violence.
Also this film displays the image of the sea that is a trademark of Kitano's films and like Sonatine, Hana-bi, and much later parodied in Takeshis', the sea is the locale of both play and violence.
Looking back, Boiling Point is indeed a flawed film, but one can see the elements that would one day make Kitano an internationally acclaimed director.
Recommended for fans of Japanese film, highly recommended for fans of Kitano Takeshi..
The yakuzas take the affront seriously, and there's a complicated multiple-layer plot, involving the main character's sudden improvement as a baseball-playerhe hits a home-run but overruns the slow runner ahead of himand somehow involving a friend and former gangster, Iguchi, who demands respect, and sends the guy to Okinawa to buy a gun.
In Okinawa with the slow runner he falls in with a pair of gangsters who party all night and get guns the next day; the main gangster, played by the director "Beat" Takeshi, is casually mean to his girlfriend, and he kills the gun merchant and the very formal yakuzas who are demanding money from him.
this is my 3rd Kitano movie (after Violent Cop & Brother), i enjoyed this as much as the other, Kitano's movies move at such a pace which you think would be boring but there's something about his movies which draws you in.This film was pretty much hilarious and brutal at the same time, i mean you wouldn't usually laugh at woman getting used for sex and getting slapped about harshly at every turn, but the way Takeshi's character does it makes it hilarious, especially the scene involing the ice lollies outside the store...bizarre humour.This movie had a strange story, it never goes into enough depth to make you get real sucked into the characters, so the final scene, whilst spectacular kind of leaves you thinking 'they all died?'.Other than a pretty shallow story i found this very entertaining...Takeshi's movies rule!
Takeshi appears in an extended cameo in the middle part of the film in a role that has little to do with the main plot; in fact, his thirty-minute turn is like a 'mini film' in itself, a portrait of an insane gangster who dishes out violence to one and all, whether it be his henchman, his girlfriend or the gangsters who formerly employed him.
This is Takeshi gone over the edge; he's a sadistic, vindictive character and incredibly his cruel exploits are played for laughs, particularly his repetitive violence towards his girlfriend.
Because watching this guy commit rape (on his own henchman in the film's most depraved moment) and casual violence isn't my idea of fun.
I liked Takeshi in VIOLENT COP and BATTLE ROYALE, but I couldn't stand him here.It's a shame, as the rest of the film is pretty damn good.
Although the film offers the Japanese style of taciturn acting – the male actors rarely show expression on their faces – Yanagi makes us sympathise with his character's plight and, indeed, actually like him.Although the film is essentially a slow-burning revenge flick, you'll be surprised to hear that the action and violence is limited.
There's only one shoot-out in the film, although there are quite a few beat-downs and other moments of crazy violence.
Many of the incidents within the film, such as the car and motorbike accidents and the casual violence meted out by Takeshi himself, are played for laughs but the humour value is intermittent, not always working.
But then Takeshi Kitano showed up and then all the fun started.
I think everyone who likes the Tarantino violence should see this movie.