Sleepless Town

Lee Chi-Ngai's 1998 Japanese film is set in the Kabukicho district of Tokyo. Kenichi, half Japanese and half Chinese, works there as a middleman; the district is controlled by gangs from Shanghai and his old partner, who fled years ago, is said to have returned. The film treats an immigrant criminal world together with the question of identity. Kenichi is not fully accepted by either side; the narrative shows that in-between position as both protection and danger. Takeshi Kaneshiro leads. The images are neon-lit and largely nocturnal; the narrative withholds information and who is using whom stays unclear until the end. The production was a joint effort between Hong Kong and Japan. Who it's for: those who like Asian crime cinema of the nineties. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a clear hero; the film shows everyone as equally dirty.