Brother

Yamamoto, a yakuza who has lost his war in Tokyo, has to leave the country and goes to his half-brother in Los Angeles. His brother is part of a small multi-racial group selling drugs. Yamamoto brings Japanese yakuza method to them and they take the territory quickly. The fall comes as fast as the rise. Takeshi Kitano wrote, directed, edited and played Yamamoto. Claude Maki and Omar Epps are in the cast. This is the only film Kitano made predominantly in English and the only American production he ever made. The reception was mixed. What the reviews agreed on was that he had returned to his own themes and reworked them without bringing the unpredictability and invention that built his following. What was praised was the acting, particularly the bond and sense of loyalty between Omar Epps and Kitano. The American release was delayed by more than a year. When it finally came it played mainly in art houses and was heavily cut by the MPAA. Who it is for: viewers who like Kitano's yakuza films and sudden, unexplained violence. Who it is not for: anyone looking for his best. The film reads like a repetition of itself and the Los Angeles material does not match the strength of the Japanese sections.