East Winds Film Festival - Sake-Bomb – Review
Sake-Bomb is a Japanese comedy, which plays with the contrasting cultures of the east and the west. The film predominantly is focused on the harsh Eastern racial stereotypes the west has given them. The film uses crude adult humour to convey its messages and values throughout.
At the start of the film we are introduced to Naoto played by Gaku Hamada who plays a factory worker for a Sake brewery. Naoto is portrayed as an innocent character that follows the traditional values of the eastern culture. Naoto is told by his boss that he wishes for Naoto to take over the company and Naoto has one week to do something that he would regret if he hadn't of done so.
Naoto ends up visiting his cousin Sebastian played by Eugene Kim in search of a previous lover who has moved on and began a family with someone else to which she is now married. Sebastian doesn't follow the eastern traditions he is the complete contrast to Naoto, he is immersed with the western lifestyle, hosting a vlog channel "FOB Mother Fu..e" where he expresses his opinions on the given eastern stereotypes it also allows the breaking of the fourth wall, in similar aspects such as Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World does through the overlay of visual aesthetics Sake Bomb uses the Vlog to connect with its audience through use of media we are all found to use. Although the film it's self-holds strong themes and issues, which are commonly used within 'indie' eastern films it lacked within the plot line. A whole 83 minutes passes and the only characters you are predominantly introduced to are Naoto and Sebastian as you follow them on their road trip to which shows an emotional road trip within the characters. The plot is predictable right from the start to the end; the two cousins' who have completely different opinions and lifestyles come together and accept the other. Although Sebastian gives Naoto a hard time for being a FOB (Fish of the Boat) and encourages him to act somewhat from the American culture the two predictably have a break up and then get reunited as they begin to accept the culture clashes as the story goes on.
In terms of technical elements Sake-Bomb holds up a good front for an 'indie' film. However I feel that we aren't given enough visual enjoyment through the cinematography, the film sticks to uses majority static medium close up frames with the subjects held central after 83 minutes this began to bore me. At times we were given slow motion and two shots with a hint of deep depth of field to mix up the visual elements yet it still didn't pull me into the plot. The imagery it's self held brilliant deep colours which were visually pleasing but I feel it wasn't really needed as the plot just isn't that intriguing.
Overall I felt the film lacked elements in all areas as the whole plot line and themes and issues raised were biased on something we are aware of. Although I did enjoy the film as it was an easy laid back watch with no twist and turns rather than having to be aware all the time not to miss any dialogue or story line to understand the films concept.
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