Yûkai Rhapsody
2010 / 111m - Japan
Comedy, Crime
3.0*/5.0*
Accidental Kidnapper poster

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June 18, 2020

3.0*/5.0*

A pleasant and respectable little comedy. The title pretty much gives away what you can expect from this one. Date is a man on the edge of desperation, but after some failed suicide attempts he bumps into a little boy who is trying to run away from home. The boy tells him his family is rich, so Date figures this might put his life back on the rails.

While this all sounds rather violent, Date is a kind soul and quickly develops a strong bond with the kid. There are some Kikujiro-like moments and whatever violence there is, is mostly played for laughs. The film is a tad too long maybe, but at least the ending isn't quite as cheesy as I expected it to be.

Takahashi and Hayashi have good chemistry and Hayashi in particular does a great job. Kid actors are always a liability, but he is clearly one of the stars of the film. Shô Aikawa is also great to have around, but that is no surprise. While Accidental Kidnapper isn't the greatest Japanese comedy ever, it's a fun little diversion and solid filler than is sure to put a smile on your face.