Drifting Detective: Black Wind in Harbor

A surprisingly fun little detective movie. It reminded me a little of Kurosawa's Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself series, which is also made up of shorter films, featuring some quirkier characters and plotlines. Alternatively, think of the Maiku Hama films. Exploring more of Fukasaku's oeuvre, I'm starting to see that he has a knack for fun genre fare.

Goro is a small-time private investigator. He reluctantly accepts a case after receiving a generous payment, which forces him to investigate some local fishermen. People have gone missing or ended up dead after apparent suicides. There's a lot more going on in the harbor than meets the eye.

The characters are cheeky, a little over-the-top, but charming and fun. The case is pretty basic, but thanks to the short runtime there's no time for the film to slow down. The setting is also nice, though the black-and-white cinematography doesn't really do it justice. A cute little film, much better than I expected it to be.