Yumi (Mari Atsumi, The Bodyguard) does her best to stay focused on graduating from college while her mother Tomi (Akemi Negishi, King Kong vs. Godzilla) works as a hostess at a local club to make ends meet. She dreams of a better life for Yumi, but those dreams get shattered when Yumi’s stepfather assaults her. In the wake of the incident, Yumi finds herself alone. To survive, she takes over her mother’s position as a hostess at the club and struggles with lecherous men and Yakuza who can’t keep their hands off her. Will she survive the dangerous world of nightlife culture?
What We Thought:
Play It Cool is an early 1970s Japanese drama involving a young hostess and the Yakuza. With films like Anora being popular today, this film still feels timely 50 plus years later. After a sexual assault changes the life of Yumi and her mother, Yumi does what she needs to do to survive and strive in an environment that brings down others.
It’s a familiar story that still works, but also still feels relevant. Yumi’s mother was a hostess who goes to jail for an understandable reason. Yumi becomes a hostess to make ends meet and to raise money for her mother when she’s released from prison. A young, attractive female like Yumi quickly finds popularity in that lifestyle and she wants to be smarter and more driven than those women around her. She plays poker and makes more money by being different than the other hostesses. Older, powerful men desire her, but she knows not to fall in love. Unfortunately that’s easier said than done and Yumi finds herself involved with different men, one for love, others for money.
Despite being a 50+ year old Japanese film, it’s that story that is universal. It’s easy to understand five decades later. We’ve seen hundreds of similar characters before and after its release so following the drama is easy and relatable. The lead actress is solid and her character’s highs and lows are brought to life effortlessly. Her mother’s story is even easier to understand. The men around her, well those are still the same type of men today, powerful and thinking the world belongs to them.
I have no idea if Play It Cool was popular or award worthy in Japan back when it was released. I found it easy to watch and easy to follow along. It’s a pretty tried & true story set in an understandable environment. The acting is good and no character feels out of place or unnecessary. If you are a fan, the film looks good on Blu-ray and it includes commentary, a video essay and more in the bonus features.
Bonus Features:
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
- Original uncompressed mono audio
- Optional English subtitles
- Brand new audio commentary with critic and Japanese cinema specialist Jasper Sharp and professor and Japanese literature specialist Anne McKnight
- Too Cool for School, brand new video essay on Play it Cool and the career of writer-director Yasuzō Masumura by Japanese film scholar Mark Roberts
- Original theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Earl Jackson
The Nerds Templar 