Hard Days

Fujii has been distributing his latest films on Netflix, which, ironically, puts them in real danger of flying under the radar. It's only because I caught up with his other films that I noticed I had missed Hard Days [Saigo Made Iku] somewhere along the way, a remake of the South Korean movie A Hard Day. It's more than a little disappointing this is still happening on a global release platform, but there you have it. I'm glad I caught my oversight in time though, because Fujii has been on an impressive streak and Hard Days fits in snuggly with his other most recent releases.

Michihito Fujii is one of those directors who doesn't stand out by having a strong signature style, instead, he makes himself noticed by delivering quality films regardless of the projects handed to him. Most of his oeuvre is crime-adjacent, so it's not that his films are incredibly eclectic, but you can't exactly call him the Japanese Johnnie To (more like the next Masato Harada if you need to compare him to anyone). On the one hand, it limits his potential, on the other hand, it's nice to have a director who can consistently deliver quality in a range of different crime niches. Hard Days is perfect proof of that.

Don't go in expecting a bona fide crime flick though. Sure enough, the setting and plot scream police procedural, but underneath lies a dark comedy ready to strike. In that sense, Hard Days reminded me quite a bit of U Turn, working from a similar setup. We follow an unfortunate soul whose day is about to get increasingly worse, in part because he is dealt a bad hand, though mostly due to the string of poor decisions he makes along the way. If you can't smirk at his misfortune, this is going to be a film full of baffling plotholes, weird twists, and random disappointments. So don't be fooled.

Yuji is a washed-up cop. He is stationed in a small town and has a little side business going on with the local Yakuza. His relationship with his wife is in critical condition and his mom lies on her deathbed. On the way to the hospital, he gets a phone call telling him his dealings with the Yakuza are about to be published. Yuji's mind is racing, so he doesn't notice the man standing in the middle of the road. He hits him full on and when he goes to check on the body, the guy turns out to be dead. Seeing a police car approach, Yuji panics and puts the body in the trunk of his car.

Fujii's films tend to look pretty slick and polished, Hard Days is no exception. He doesn't have a unique visual style, nothing definitive and instantly recognizable, but nothing in his films appears unfinished or haphazard. The camera work is evocative, the color work is stylish, and the editing is snappy. It makes a real difference for a film like this, which is otherwise pretty standard genre fare. Some smart visual tricks sprinkled throughout help to keep things interesting, making for a very attractive-looking film. Fujii has his priorities straight.

The score is solid, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Fujii uses it primarily to build up tension, making sure the crime and thriller elements aren't there purely for show. The music does the job, but it doesn't stand out, to the point where you may not even remember much of it afterward. There are some classical pieces in there that hint at the more comical nature of the film, though never in such a way that it becomes overly silly or funny. The comedy here is dry and dark and the music reflects that. I still would've preferred a slightly more distinctive score, but it's not a big loss.

The performances are on point. Okada is perfectly cast as the downbeat and unfortunate cop. He is dumb enough for the audience to laugh at, but he's also charming enough so people still care about his character. The secondary cast is great too, with Go Ayano enjoying himself as the film's villain, Hirosue taking care of the film's emotional core, and Akira Emoto having a lot of fun as the evil Yakuza boss. In recent years I've come to appreciate Emoto's work a lot, he's one of those actors who always seems to add a little extra to the characters he plays. All in all, the cast is a big plus.

Fujii doesn't waste too much time on the setup. After a short introduction, Yuji's ordeal is ready to kick off. Every turn he makes, every plan he comes up with, he just digs him into bigger trouble. At the start of the film there's still a level of realism present, but during the second half the story gets increasingly grotesque, with the finale being utter silliness. That's why it's so important to be on board with the comedy angle. If you look at this as a bona fide crime flick, the latter half of the film will make it appear a downright mess. If you watch it as a dark comedy, everything will start to make sense.

Hard Days isn't the type of film that will leave a big impact. This is straight-up genre fare, but it's elevated by a polished presentation, confident and self-aware performances, and a mean and malicious sense of humor. And it's one of the more accessible Japanese films, which is convenient if you're not used to keeping up with Asian cinema. It should be an easy recommendation as the film has broad appeal, just as long as you are able to pick on its comedic core. I noticed Fujii's newest film is already available on Netflix too, so fingers crossed he can keep his winning streak going.