Sheriff Del Moral (Pepe Serna, the guy in the Scarface chainsaw scene) is tediously driving through a fog with a soup-like density in Southern California. We don’t know he is in a position of authority, until the unassuming elder comes upon a car, trunk open, engine off, abandoned in the middle of the road. As he radios in to report his find, he drives into a Japanese man. The man is injured, but in ways not possible from this light collision. He manages to stand, and darts into the endless murky void. Meanwhile, depressed, disillusioned mystery writer phenom Aki (Ayako Fujitani, the ’90s Gamera movies), has ditched a publicity tour for her latest novel, and decides to visit some old friends in San Francisco. There, at her hotel, she meets tall, dark, and handsome Akira (Kazuki Kitamura, The Raid 2, Godzilla: Final Wars), who happens to be a big fan of hers. They spend some time together, he sort of disappears, then a man with a camera begins following her, plenty of other strange people show up asking stranger questions, and Sheriff Del Moral finds a dead body. Now, the writer and the sheriff begin solving the same mystery, without knowing it.
That sounds like a lot of work just to make it to the inciting incident, but trust me when I tell you that nothing in this movie seems like work. The story is solid, the characters are fascinating, the pace is perfect, and its low-budget digital cinematography looks quite good (apparently this was a Kickstarter project). The film is also superbly acted, and though its material is slightly dark and pulpy, many scenes are played just lightly enough for inspired comedy. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable movie, occasionally meta, but not so regularly that it becomes tiresome, or loses focus on its plot. The filmmakers are clever enough to have fun with the milieu from which they drew their inspiration, without depending on genre-play like a crutch.
Unfortunately, though I was completely enthralled from beginning to end, I have to admit there is no surprise in discovering who the killer is. That is, perhaps, not the point, or at least not the whole point. For a while, the motive is the only missing piece, and even after Del Moral believes he had put it all together, the truth is much more interesting. I know some of this information might sound like spoiler material, but I assure you, it is not. Several of the story’s moves seem intent on provoking the viewer to question them. It’s that kind of quality that makes this film such a joy to watch. Plus, some major secrets pop up here and there, and I wouldn’t dare spoil those. They come with some major thematic weight I wish I could discuss here.
Mystery fans should delight in this one. It might not go above and beyond its inspiration, but it is hard to deny its charm and aesthetic. I also found myself wishing I knew more about Japanese language and culture. Several scenes between Japanese characters involve a lot of conversation on these subjects, and though these moments were not lost on me, I could tell they would be that much funnier or intriguing if I really knew what they were talking about. This is a smart, small film that deserves a bigger audience than it will receive this month in L.A., New York, and Philadelphia. Track it down when it hits home video.
