Review of The Happiness of the Katakuris (2002) by Antonio R — 16 Jul 2004

Takashi Miike has often said, a film above all else, should serve to entertain the audience.

This film does exactly that.

The focus of the picture are the Katakuris. Four generations of a family who reside together in an inn, out in the middle of nowhere. They are living in hope of a proposed "big road" finally being built, and directing some buisness to their humble abode.

The other problem they have, is that the guests that do stay, all either die accidentally, or commit suicide. Rather than report these deaths to the police, and risk it being put in the news, abolishing all chance of any more guests, they decide to bury them in the back yard.

There is another sub - plot, which sees a lame conman, posing as a US Marine, and relation of the English royalty attempting to charm the eldest daughter.

Critisicms of lack of character building and involvement in the story, are unfair. And wrong. The film is very involving, so much so, it even has a karaoke segment.

Yes, if the plot itself wasn't bizzarre enough, it is told through a mixture of acting, visual effects, songs, and the occasional spot of claymation.

The songs are awesome, a particular favourite of mine being the epic rock tune near the end, and the previously mentioned karaoke video - styled ballad.

Miike doesn't attempt to draw you in, he trys to entertain, and make you laugh. Which I did, pretty much constantly throughout the entire film.

You cannot even begin to guess what's going to happen next, and the climax is about as mind - bending as they come.

Because of the light - hearted nature of it as well [ bar the heavy sentiments carried in the last scenes.. or were they tongue in cheek? I can't tell ] it should be one you can watch again and again, and not loose too much.

It truly does have to be seen to be believed, and it very much either love or hate, as material so extremely stylistic only deserves.