19 (2000) User Reviews

Dead Man in Japanese

[sven_schmalfuss · 8/10 · 11 February 2003]

The whole film always reminded me of Jim Jarmusch`s Masterpiece. The use of the music (especially the always present guitar), the eposodical style of the scenes. The fine but sometimes very black humor. The few but very stylistic dialogues. Even technical it looked very much like "Dead Man". But it isn`t an ugly copy, it`s really nice, and very "cool".

8 out of 10

19

[film_riot · 6/10 · 16 October 2007]

To some extent this film is similar to Gus Van Sants latest movies, but while Van Sant sources tension through tiny details of his image composition, through suggestions made by the characters and through the ties the audience establishes with common societal images, Kazushi Watanabe's film just relies on its pictures. The film is photographed very well and what is absolutely essential for this film is that the pictures also develop a kind of mesmerizing quality. I've thought about interpretations from sociological point of view, but didn't really find anything. While I wasn't bored at all watching this film and even showed a real interest in the (mainly two: Usami and the one with the bonnet) characters, the film didn't keep me thinking after it was finished. The interest in the characters also lies in their partly absurd decisions. This makes it interesting for a short time, but if you want to create a strong and lasting character, you will lose the audience that way. "19" was like: I don't regret seeing it, but would I watch it again?

Simple But Nice Road Movie

[Matt73 · 7/10 · 27 April 2001]

According to the director, this movie is based on his own life story. However, I personally doubt it. In this movie, his character is actually someone who acts like a leader of a group of three. One day, they decide to kidnap a young man, just out of the blue.

The story then revolves around these four people. They go to supermarket to steal, go to arcade, and finally go to the beach. The incidents that happen to them are told in a documentary style and they look like unconnected fragments. But somehow the story flows quite nicely.

There is not much action in this movie, but somehow it is nice, a simple but nice road movie.

A bit weird

[meteoraxv · 7/10 · 27 May 2012]

Movie was a bit weird. Plot is nothing really worth mentioning. Definitely not story of the year-material. But it was a fun watch.

Some guy riding his bike gets picked up by a group of youths. I say "group", because "gang" isn't really the right word. Just a bunch of totally random guys, each one a weirdo in his own right.

Anyways, the guys take him into their "group", and they continue cruising around in their (stolen) car. They turn out to be a bunch of layabouts, not really doing anything useful for society other than effing over some people for money and just going here and there in more stolen cars. They're not really dangerous criminals though, just some idle juveniles.

The main character doesn't have a clue WTF is going on, neither do we, the audience. And it stays that way until the very end. Oh, and after the end.

It was a nice watch, though. Just some guys chilling. Nice film to watch on a hot summer day with a beer and some buddies.

I recognize the guy from Boogiepop and Others here, always nice seeing a familiar face from a good movie in a another good movie! 7*