User reviews

After reading the other comments, then actually seeing the film, it simply doesn't measure up.

The first 1/3 of the film is quite a blast, with nearly everything the reviews mention - fast editing and sassy dialogue, wacky characters and, for good measure, perhaps cinema history's shortest explicit sex scene (about four seconds).

But after this part, it loses most of its puff and all of its potential originality. A bit like getting on a rollercoaster, having a ripper ride, but the machine slowing to a crawl just before the first big dip, and crawling home slowly.

In conclusion, it does have good stuff, mostly at the beginning. Looks like it wanted to be a weird take on Pulp Fiction but got seriously lost.

I'm on a journey. Next stop: Asanoland.

Seriously. After undergoing an experience called Survival Style 5+, I decided to peruse Tadanobu-san's cinema library. Having seen Sharkskin Man and Peach Hip Girl, I began to recall the story, but enjoyed the minute details, random Japanese cultural references, and a mix of really eccentric characters.

This ain't no gunfest. If you want bodies and shells hitting the floor, catch Hard Boiled. SSM+PHG shows you people in a moment in time what happens when they interact. Asano as Samehada oozes the 'segoy' yakuza with style to match! He rarely panics, acts quickly, and even has time to joke and laugh. Along with the reserved Toshiko, the story revolves mainly around this unlikely duo. You also have yakuza whose topics of interest include rare ad collecting, glue sniffing, and, of course.... finding Samehada.

This film's fun to watch. If you are going in expecting to see all out sawed off shotgun blasts, drive-bys, and opium plants exploding, it's not going to happen. This gangsta movie has a dark, comedic flavor which you may find yourself becoming fond of. Plus, it's a good starter to see the talented Tadanobu at work.

Shark Skin man and Peach Hip girl is a quirky little film based on a short manga series. The premise is that shark skin man is on the run from a gang he was a part of after running off with a load of money. On his path he meets peach hip girl who has run away from the hotel owned by her awkward pervy uncle and they decide to run away together. The film its self is a mixture of dark Miike humour with many offbeat moments of awkward silences. The henchmen are very slapstick and cartoonish like in many manga adaptations. Unfortunately, it suffers from having so many characters as they appear quite 2-dimensional besides the two protagonists. I also found some of the scenes were poorly lit which was quite annoying and there wasn't much in the way of shootouts besides maybe two. What it fails in plot it makes up in humour not everyone will take to it but i found it quite fun to watch and it paces itself extremely well so avoids getting dull. so overall id say give it a watch at least once it's worth your time but its not as amazing as the hype says would benefit from a few sequels maybe. Violence 3/5 Plot 2/5 Humour 4/5 Acting 4/5 Music 3/5

My main impression with this movie is that something, somehow, has got lost on the way.

It might be that the script has been adapted from a manga; some situations and some of the characters antics, dragged out from their context, look so wacky they end to be grotesque. Nonetheless, one of the strongest point of the movie are the characters themselves - Yamada in particular.

The plot is the weakest one, it doesn't really make sense and I ended up suspecting that some elements has been simply cut because they didn't fit in the run time.

However, I've seen this movie in Japanese with subtitles, so I really can't comment about the "witty dialogs" which are supposed to be another strong point.

This movie is occasionally entertaining, but fails to leave a mark: it reminded me somehow of "I Went Down" (1997), which is definitely more entertaining than this one, tough.

I read the hype about this film and bought it off ebay along with a bunch of other sweet movies I've been meaning to get. I agree it has that Pulp Fiction/Tarantino feel to it but it drags awkwardly in many places, and I feel some of the extraneous dialogue could have been dropped while still retaining the same quirky feel. Overall, I give this film 3.5 out of 5 stars and think its worth watching atleast once, and probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn't seen Attack the Gas Station, a Korean film, that has the same attitude of this film but executed it a lot better.

I'm no stranger to Katsuhito Ishii's work. I think we've all seen his The Taste of Tea, which I didn't like at all. It's been a long time since I saw it but I remember it feeling too long and slow and incoherent. Some of that is on this film as well but this film has a very likeable element that despite its quirks it feels more relatable and fun.

There's no denying that Katsuhito Ishii has a fantastic sense of style and aesthetics. His characters are brimming with colour and wonderful. This clashes with how he really does movies which is a very surreal and slow style and you can see that he's really aiming for a Tarantino-esque type of approach which serves the movie good!

As I said, the characters are the focal point of this. I just wish they had more to say and more to do on screen. There's a few moments of this film where you feel there's a momentum and it lacks that for a lot of the movie's runtime. Sure, things happen but it feels very slow. Tadanobu Asano and Sie Kohinata make an excellent lead couple, I honestly wish the movie was more about them.

This movie also has a very weird comical vibe throughout it as to puncture this whole bizarre situation. It mostly serves to give it a lighthearted feel, I wouldn't say I laughed a lot at this.

All in all I'd say this movie is a worthy watch because it has a lot of style and it's just pretty neat! But if you want a fast paced silly action film then you might have to check somewhere else cause this is not it.

Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl was one of the best Japanese films that I have seen in a while. The fast pace, quick cuts, and awesome soundtrack made for a great movie. Not to mention the cool characters and decent plot. Tadanobu Asano wasn't as cool in this movie as he was in Ichi the Killer, but then again who could top anything from that movie. At first I didn't know if I would like the movie, being a fan of older samurai films and not much for no-plot action movies, but I'll have to hand it to this film, because even though the plot was a little main stream (man steals Yakuza money and then the gangsters go after him) the cinematography and the fact that the story wasn't really told in chronological order really made this movie stand out from the stereotypical action movie. The way the director would occasionally slow down or speed up the film, or intentionally put in serious jump-cuts, really added to the feel of the movie. I thought that it was a great movie and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Japanese cinema.

Didn't think much while I was watching the show but the images and themes have come back strongly after. Yes, Sharkskin Man is a movie that I have not been able to get out of my mind. Part comedy, part Action-Adventure, part Fashion Parade, this film boasts of an incredibly hip cast with strong (in a subtle way) performances from the 2 leads. A highly entertaining movie that is as bizarre (if you've been watching commercial movies all your life) as it is romantic. Yes, ROMANTIC.

Tadanobu Asano stars, but really anyone could have played any character in this film, they're all so two-dimensional. Asano has stolen money from a yakuza boss, who now, along with his comic-bookish henchmen, is out to get him. Along the way, Asano hooks up with a shy woman. The film does contain a few really good scenes. I could actually forgive it for being shallow if it were more fun than it is. Unfortunately, what makes it really bad is that, for most of its run, the film is just damn boring. Some of the scenes drag out forever. The faster paced bits are more tolerable, and this might have been cool if it were more like a Ryuhei Kitamura film. Another problem is that, while the story is mostly very straightforward, there are occasions where it becomes incoherent. Which made me lose interest even more. Skip it.

A man called Samehada ("Shark Skin") steals some money from his Yakuza boss, and goes on the run. He crosses paths with a girl called Momojiri ("Peach Hip", or "Peach Ass" if you prefer) who is fleeing from a hotel manager who doesn't treat her well. They decide to throw their fortunes in together and try to escape the Yakuza and an assassin.

The credit sequence introduces you to the cast of the characters you are about to meet, and it was very worrying... so many characters, I thought "it's going to get real confusing", but this is not the case at all. Even though there are a lot of characters, each one is well developed and unique - no problem following who they are and what their relationships are. It's one hell of a set of characters too... "colourful" hardly seems sufficiently descriptive, but they are all brilliantly conceived and portrayed. The main focus of the movie is the interplay between all these characters, with lots of sharp and witty dialogue throughout, and a generally black humour in the situations they get into and the way they get out of them.

The movie is fast moving... very well paced in fact, and beautifully filmed & edited too. There's a little bit of violence, but nothing that's going the slightest concern to anybody who's seen some Kitano or Miike. Almost wholesome in fact

It's difficult to say what makes the movie so good - it's not really any one thing - it's basically just an all-round clever, funny and exceptionally well made movie. Recommended!

Let me first state that I REALLY REALLY wanted to like this film. For the most part the actors and actresses looked their parts, and did fairly well in their roles, but the movie lacked any real plot. It seemed so wraped up in seeming 'wacky' that no interesting story ever shone through. Also, the camera work was often sloppy, attempting snatchlike camera work and failing miserably. Most of the time, shots meant to look cool ended up being confusing. Perhaps something was lost during translation, but some of the characters were just... stupid. The crazy pretty boy who sniffs people like a dog? Uhhhhhhh. OK. Overall, a fat stinking 1/10. Not worth your time.

Kimie Shingyouji is amazing as is Tadanobu Asano and Shie Kohinata. Brilliant film, great performances. A quirky classic and a precursor to films such as Kill Bill, though the film was surely inspired by Pulp Fiction first.

Sharkskin Man... makes me want to go back to the French New Wave again. It is cinematic ally liberating, fresh yet retro, new and exciting.

Seijun Suzuki is another filmmaker that has accomplished something similar I think, with Pistol Opera, the re-make of his own "Branded to Kill," made 35 years prior.

Kohinata's performance is nothing short of perfect. She is a true star and I love her work. This film should be mandatory viewing.

I give Sharkshin Man and Peachhip Girl the highest rating possible for originality and entertainment value as well as a great ensemble cast and innovative script.

Plot: Most people are complaining about the Plot of the movie and with legitimate cause. The plot if anything is very linear and doesn't have those twists and turns that movie lovers enjoy. But in any case it still remains a solid storyline that isn't lacking in some huge manner that will leave you thinking the director was retarded. But perhaps the artistic genius that stands out in this movie is HOW the story is told.

As far as cinematography each shot is perfectly balanced with a vivid splash of colours that gives off an end product which is a crisp clean feel to the whole movie.

The brilliance of this movie is the extreme stereotypes of the actors as they (yakuza, knife expert, rock star, punk, rich upper class just to name a few) interact with each other. The pure enjoyment of this movie lays in watching all these total social failures/misfits do what they do best which is rob , kill and destroy. You will be laughing all through the movie as these characters do anything but what you expect from them.

I'd heard this Japanese flick is edgy, creatively interesting, a "cool new thang" on the Asian movie-making scene ... maybe even something as innovative as Hideo Nakata's "Ringu" or Chan-wook Park's "Oldboy", especially the latter.

You can imagine my disappointment when, instead, I found the movie disjointed both narratively and cinematically (though not in a way that a film aficionado appreciates), cliché-ridden, even sadly silly instead of funny --- on the whole, a very bad knock- off of the "Pulp Fiction" style.

I stopped watching after 30 minutes, when I gave up on it becoming something more than it is.

I saw S.S. Man & P.H. Girl at the Hawaii International Film Festival in Nov. 98, and it took my breath away. This flick is the funniest, coolest, most invigorating piece of eye candy I've ever seen. Based on a Japanese manga, this debut film from Ishii (previously a director of Japanese commercials) is a road movie about a young woman on the run from her domineering and perverted uncle who meets up with a young man on the run from the stylish gangsters he's ripped off. The gangsters are the funniest, most outrageous, coolest bunch of baddies I've ever seen. Their dialogue is great, their costumes are incredible, and they're all so enjoyable to watch that it's always sad when one gets rubbed out. The uncle also sends someone after the pair on the run, a diminutive little freak who would totally steal the show in any other movie. Here, he just adds to the mix.

I can't really describe how much I enjoyed this movie, but I remember that at the end of it, my face hurt from smiling so much. I think I was grinning during the entire film... If you're a fan of the films of Lynch, Tarantino, Jeunet, Boyle, Besson, the Coens, John Woo, Ringo Lam, and Tsui Hark, then you have GOT to see this movie. The funny thing about S.S. Man and P.H. Girl is that it's so over-the-top that you know it's a parody of the work of some of the above directors, but the damn thing is so much fun that it actually works as a "cool lovers on the run movie," and not just a parody of one. In fact, I thought it worked so well that it is now my favorite film of this genre. Tarantino was in the audience when I saw this movie, and when Ishii answered questions at the end of the film, and someone asked him who influenced him, he grinned at QT, and said (through his translator) something like "I think you know the answer to that." (subsequently QT hired Ishii to direct the animated sequence in Kill Bill, so I guess they hit it off). Perhaps the lesson here is that there's no such thing as too derivative.

Some people note that the film has some slow moments. Interestingly, having seen the movie quite a few times by now, what sticks with me now are some of the quieter romantic and/or contemplative moments, especially the penultimate scene in the car where Samehada's former partner talks about seeing God.

Like a Japanese answer to Snatch, this film is EXCELLENT! Well crafted, shot, acted and developed, simply a delight of a ride to be on. The development from sequence to sequence is a model of solid storytelling without cheese gimmicks or overt style. The reveals, character turns and incident occasions are masterfully handled. Simply delightful!

The action and the road trip, the hyper-restrained interplay between Toshiko and Samehada, the yakuza boss actor's razor's edge blend of straight man and dire threat, the lethal slapstick of his gang are all riveting, hilarious, okay. The extremely slow burn, leading to deux ex machina betrayal, by the long-faced actor who frequently plays Beat Takeshi's second is just right. But best of all, both funniest and most frightening, is (I'm sorry I can't figure out the actor's or character's name) the buddy/assassin the hotel manager sends after Toshiko. The road-stop men's room sequence is just one of several superb bits written round this character. A very vague touchpoint for him might be the sporadically violent, reluctant loner at the center of Punch Drunk Love. But the Japanese guy's much more impish, more driven yet almost elfin.

Very Strong acting, directing and script makes for one of my favorite films.

An unlikely couple fall in love in this magical, funny, romantic, and sometimes violent film. Its heart is close to "Lola Rennt" or "True Romance" in a slightly funnier wrapping.

( 9 out of 10 ) -Karl

Everything about this movie is great: funny dialogue, great action sequences, wonderful characters and superb camera-work throughout. One can see the director was influenced by Takeshi's movies: that is a compliment. Do not let the pace fool you, this is typical of Japanese moviemaking. Let's see them make movies like this in Hollywood: I don't think so.

I honestly can't see anything worthwhile about 'Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl'. This is another one of those Tarantino rip-offs that has none of the wit or substance of the originals. Basically it's a lovers on the run movie, a genre as old as the hills, but only a fool would deny the strong influence of QT's 'True Romance'. 'True Romance' had witty dialogue, some tense and funny moments, a couple of protagonists you cared about, and a gallery of genuinely scary mobsters and colorful supporting characters. 'Shark Skin Man..' has none of these. It's tries oh so hard to be quirky and cool but misses the mark. I was just bored. From this mediocre effort I would say Katsuhito Ishii is the Japanese equivalent of Guy Ritchie, rather than an exciting ORIGINAL talent like his fellow countrymen Shinya Tsukamoto and Takashi Miike. If you're considering watching this one try and find some of their movies instead.

Just a great fun movie of 140 minutes ish long. Great screenplay. Solid action. Nice sequences. Well edited. Strong script. Nice interplay. Great character development.

Lust; love and betrayal are the main themes. The violence and vengeance is especially strong and it kulminates in a nice spaghetti-western style ending which I very much approve of!

It's from 1998 so a bit dated in parts now as it's now 26 years ago! Oh wow! I was in school then and now I most definitely am not! During the 1990's Kitano and Miike were the leading lights of Japanese cinema for me.

This is a similar theme in terms of quality and narrative to these cinematic icons. I don't get the low ratings at is a very fun movie and most enjoyable! Thank you very much to Third Window Films for supplying me yet again with another excellent and sadly madly overlooked movie!