Initial D

Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's manga adaptation was Jay Chou's first film. Chou plays Takumi, a high school student who has been driving deliveries down the mountain every morning for his father's tofu shop for years and has, without noticing, become the best driver in the region. The most notable thing about it is that the driving was largely shot without computer effects. The directors wanted an authentic feel and had the actors drive the cars themselves wherever possible. Filming took place on Mount Haruna, known for five hairpin turns in succession, the same road that appears in the manga. Jay Chou was named Best New Performer at the 25th Hong Kong Film Awards for the role, and won in the same category at the Golden Horse Awards. His performance is nearly expressionless, which is precisely what works about it here. Who it is for: viewers who enjoy racing films and driving sequences done with real stunt work. Who it is not for: anyone expecting the manga's character depth, since the film hurries past the story to get back on the road.