Let's Go Karaoke!

Satomi leads a middle school choir and is anxious because his voice is starting to break. One day a member of the yakuza appears in front of him: Kyoji wants to be taught how to sing. The reason is serious. The head of the organisation holds a karaoke contest every year and gives the worst singer a punishment; the punishment is a tattoo done by the boss himself. Kyoji does not want to lose this year. The two begin meeting regularly in a karaoke room to work. Nobuhiro Yamashita directs. The source is Yama Wayama's comic. The humour comes from the distance between the two worlds; the boy is not afraid of the yakuza and the man does not talk down to the boy. It is not a crime film; there is almost no violence and the organisation is shown like a workplace. The second strand is Satomi's own matter: his voice is changing, he is losing his place in the choir, and he is physically living what growing up means for the first time. The film runs the two in parallel. Yamashita is known for comedies about daily life and odd characters, and the tone here is his familiar manner. The choice of songs has a function; the piece Kyoji sings describes the character himself. Who it is for: viewers who like Japanese comedy and unusual friendships. Who it is not for: the pace is low, little happens, and the humour stays quiet.