Boys on the Run
2010 ‘Bôizu on za ran’ Directed by Daisuke Miura
Synopsis
It’s not often that a coming-of-age story revolves around a 29-year-old chronic masturbator who still lives with his mom, but that’s just one example of the many ways Daisuke Miura's Boys on the Run is refreshingly atypical. The film is based on a manga by Kengo Hanazawa which was originally serialized in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Spirits from 2005-2008, and although the adaptation is fairly loyal visually, the overall tone has been changed both in how the characters behave and how the story arc is presented.
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Being a fan of the manga this film is originally adapted from, as well as the rest of Kengo Hanazawa's work, I knew what I was getting into before watching it. Though billed as a comedy, you won't really be getting the gut busting moments you'd expect from it. It plays on the darker side of comedy which I feel works better here to help you get a better sense of the main character's plight and get you to root for him.
Boys On The Run centers around Toshiyuki Tanishi, a poster child for manchildren everywhere. At 29 years old, he's a socially inept and sexually frustrated person with no real direction in his life. A chronic masturbator who works…
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Though sometimes raunchy and humorous in its painfully awkward and uncomfortable dialogue and scenarios, Boys on the Run explores the anguish of love and the suffering one might go through for the sake of it, regardless of the outcome, with surprising sincerity.
It drags on a tad longer than necessary, the moral of the story may come off as discouraging, and sometimes it feels the movie isn't sure if it wants to be a drama or a comedy at times. However, it's a decently emotional and bittersweet experience, with flawed characters that feel human, and with things to say about love and the pain it can cause.
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Though sometimes raunchy and humorous in its painfully awkward and uncomfortable dialogue and scenarios, Boys on the Run explores the anguish of love and the suffering one might go through for the sake of it, regardless of the outcome, with surprising sincerity.
It drags on a tad longer than necessary, the moral of the story may come off as discouraging, and sometimes it feels the movie isn't sure if it wants to be a drama or a comedy at times. However, it's a decently emotional and bittersweet experience, with flawed characters that feel human, and with things to say about love and the pain it can cause.
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Being a fan of the manga this film is originally adapted from, as well as the rest of Kengo Hanazawa's work, I knew what I was getting into before watching it. Though billed as a comedy, you won't really be getting the gut busting moments you'd expect from it. It plays on the darker side of comedy which I feel works better here to help you get a better sense of the main character's plight and get you to root for him.
Boys On The Run centers around Toshiyuki Tanishi, a poster child for manchildren everywhere. At 29 years old, he's a socially inept and sexually frustrated person with no real direction in his life. A chronic masturbator who works…
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The paradox of the Twitter generation is its ability to be virtually social while being a physical recluse. This is life as we've come to accept it, but sadly clicking the "Like" button and posting on a girl's Facebook wall doesn't actually equate to understanding someone. And Japan, with its social hierarchy only moderately stretched by a few ostentatious rebels, excels in the most amusing of social phenomena—such as a telekura (short for "telephone club") where men set up "dates" with women who usually have more to offer. With such conveniences, it's no wonder that a telekura is where we find our lead character Tanishi, a virgin, on his 29th birthday.
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All in all, “Boys On The Run” is a fine feature debut rom Writer/Director Daisuke Miura. It blends the ‘cute’ romantic comedy vibe with a twisted humor that thrives in Japanese culture. Tanishi’s lifestyle is out in the open and it is delightful to see that even this strange man can find a potential soul mate. My only knock against the film is the runtime. At 114 minutes, the film seemed to drag at times. I feel that a trim here or there could have made this a smooth sailing ride into the dangers of falling in love. Ignore those speed bumps and you’ll find a strange romantic film with some solid drama worked into the mix. The full review is here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=2789