[KFCC] Go Review

Story: Based on the novel by Kaneshiro Kazuki, the film centers around Sugihara: a young Japanese teenager of Korean ancestry in Japan. Up until now, he has attended Korean school, but through curiousity, decides to attend a Japanese high school. The story focuses on the alienation Sugihara feels being considered "a foreigner" in his own country, as well as dealing with the usual teenage problems...dealing with parents (his father tries to push him into boxing), and falling in love.

Review: At the focus of ‘Go’, Sugihara embarks on his metaphoric journey to overcome prejudices of nationality and race through love and friendship and finally finds himself through those experiences. ‘Go’ asks us the question of who we are, and knowing who we are, would we be able to live with it and go on living? And more importantly, would the people around us be so accepting when we find that truth? I think that this movie is a clever and witty commentary on today’s sensitive subject of nationality and isolationism. We as a people don’t like to admit it, but we all have certain prejudicial or nationalistic tendancies. The sad fact is that we do in fact live with this problem. It’s here to stay whether we like it or not, and director Isao Yukisada knows that and addresses that in his movie.

Casting is excellent with the 3 leads played by Yosuke Kubozuka, Kou Shibasaki, and Kim Min. You’ve all seen Kou Shibasake and Kim Min in Battle Royale before. I seriously didn’t think that Shibasaki had it in her to play a drama role. I was accustomed to seeing her as a cold hearted killer with no remorse from what I saw in Battle Royale. In the movie, Kou Shibasaki is Yosuke’s Japanese love interest. Everything goes well with them until she finds out that he’s naturally Korean-born, and that poses a problem for her. I found her to be excellent in portraying this character torn between love and her nationality. Kim Min also retains his cool and suave attitude from the latter movie. Now, onto Yosuke Kubozuka, I’ve never seen him before in any other movie before this, but I am very impressed. The guy knows how to act, and pulls off his tough guy with problems character of Sugihara very well. I can honestly say that I actually look forward to any of Yosuke’s future projects in hopes that he will carry on his experience from ‘Go.’

The movie progresses with some decent fight sequences and some pretty amusing segments. The fight scenes are not in the stylish vain, but rather more realistic and gritty. Nothing too impressive, but are still fun to watch regardless. There are also some occasional witty scenes where they run from the law after doing some reckless stunts, especially the opening sequence. The opening was pretty much enough to get my attention for the rest of the movie, as it is very impressive and entertaining.

Overall, ‘Go’ is definitely a movie worth checking out sometime. It’s got a good underlying social commentary, good fight scenes and equally good drama to back up everything it’s already got going for it.