While looking for a comedy to watch on the Asian Crush App, I came across Sake-Bomb. Not knowing anything about it, I looked it up here on IMDB to find that it had a 5.4 rating. So, for some time I avoided watching it. Eventually the day came where I did not care about its rating and took a chance on this movie and it surely turned out much better than it was advertised.
Sake-Bomb is a movie about two characters: Naoto a simple native Japanese guy who lives in a small Japanese Village, works in a Sake Brewery Factory and who doesn't own a phone or computer in his daily life. At the beginning of the movie, his boss in Japan tells him that he wants him to take over the Sake Brewery Factory as he is the best employee he's ever had. He also tells Naoto that before he announces his promotion in a about a week's time, he wants Naoto to take a week off work to do something he always wanted to do in life, because in a week, the company will essentially be his life and he won't ever get a chance to ever do it once promoted. And then there's Sebastian, a crude Japanese American, who lives in Los Angeles, is an Internet "Star" Vlogger who for personal reasons won't upload his videos on Youtube but on his own website. Aside from that he's unemployed and has no intentions of getting a real job. In the beginning of the movie, his girlfriend breaks up with him and kicks him out of her apartment. As a result, he moves back in with his father just in time for his cousin Naoto's visit to America.
Upon his arrival to America, Naoto shows Sebastian and his uncle a picture of a woman who he used to be in a relationship with. This woman taught English in Japan, which is how he met her, but then one day without a word, she suddenly went back to America and he never hears back from her. As he only has her address and she lives in Northern California, he wants to go find her to find out why she left without a word. Having experienced a similar dilemma in his younger days, his uncle not only sympathizes with Naoto, but makes Sebastian drive Naoto to Northern California to find this woman.
-Mild Spoiler Alert-
While at first, Sebastian doesn't want to go or spend any time with his cousin, this road trip ends up being a journey of Self Realization and Discovery not just for him but also for Naota. Where Sebastian comes to realize how the world actually sees him and that he's been going about life all wrong. While Naota comes to learn that Adults, especially American Adults, are not always who they seem to be, are selfish, lie more than often than they should to cover their asses and to get through life as a survival trait.
-End of Mild Spoiler Alert -
This is a very genuine low budget Indie Comedy Movie. Definitely, this is not as raunchy as it might be advertised in the trailer. In fact very tame. Surely, you're not going to find top Hollywood talent on this film either, yet the film does more than fine without it. This movie is not just about Naoto and Sebastian's Journey, but this movie also brings up the topic of how Asian stereotypes are seen in American culture and how some Asians are not okay with these stereotypes even though they can't do much of a thing about them. In spite of it all, at the end, Naoto and Sebastian's bond is made for life not just because they just happen to be cousins but as they end up coming together as family.
Overall, give this movie a chance and try not to dismiss this movie based on Sebastian's somewhat "misinformed" views early on, which will surely put off some viewers. Though it's is not what this movie is really all about, as Sebastian comes out in a different light in the end. Also, at the very end, this movie also leaves it open at the end for a possible sequel, though not guaranteed by any means we will ever get to see one. To me this movie was almost "kind of" heartfelt and I look forward to watching this from time to time. Take a chance on this film you might potentially feel the same...... or not. Up to you.
7 out of 10 stars.