Baka no Hakobune
2003 / 111m - Japan
Drama, Comedy
3.5*/5.0*
No One's Ark poster

Watches

August 10, 2022

3.5*/5.0*

Early Yamashita. If you're familiar with his other films, you'll easily see some of his trademark elements popping up. No One's Ark is a deadpan drama with some absurd moments scattered throughout. It's a bit raw and unpolished still, but fans of Yamashita's later films should give this one a shot.

A young couple commits to starting a business. They've got a health drink to sell, but their attempts in Tokyo failed miserably. So they move to the countryside to try their luck there. The problem is that the drink tastes horrible, and they don't really have a proper game plan to get their business off the ground.

Odd characters, weird turns, twists, and some completely bonkers moments add some comedy to the drama but don't expect to laugh out loud. The pacing is slow, the performances dry and the drama a little hermetic. It's a tough little cookie, but knowing what to expect, I had good fun with it.