A successful young boxer named Leo (Masataka Kubota) discovers that he may be terminally ill with a brain tumor. His night soon gets worse when he saves a screaming woman and knocks out her attacker. But this is the first in a downward spiral of mayhem. First, the woman is actually a young hooker who uses the name Monica (Sakurako Konishi), and the attacker is a dirty cop (Nao Ohmori). It turns out he is planning a drug heist with a young yakuza member (Shota Sometani), who wants to leave the family before a bloody turf war starts against the Triads. Sadly the wrong man is killed and his psychotic girlfriend (Becky) wants blood. Eyes are pointed at Leo and Monica, who are starting to fall in love with each other. So some wild shit is going to happen before the night is done.

Japanese director Takashi Miike is a force of nature. He has made more than 100 films since the early 1990s and he is showing no signs of slowing down. With a dark sense of humor and a level of chaotic energy, Miike’s films are wide and wild. He seemly can film anything from a wacky horror musical to a restraint period piece. First Love (2019) is one of his newest films and a callback to some of his direct to video yakuza films for the mid-90s. 

First Love is a graceful yet madcap crime thriller that borrows plenty of wit from Martin Scorsese’s After Hours (1985). Like Scorsese’s film, the action slowly grows into a wild circus of chases and violence. Miike is able to balance the many subplots to lead an exciting 30-minute climax. It’s a film that seemly needs to be seen to be believed. It jumps from the bleak drug abuse of Monica’s character into a zany comedy as the drug heist grows more out of control. For any viewers used to Miike’s Dead or Alive films, are in for a fun treat as we see a wind-up toy puppy that blows up an apartment, a meth covered blowup, an intense shoot out in a department store, a one-armed triad boss with a shotgun, and visions of Monica’s dead father dancing in his underwear. 

Other then references to After Hours, First Love is filled with love with classic action cinema. It’s Miike completely at home with the wild movies of yesteryear and it makes this movie even more warm and refreshing. There is some winks at the audience about how simple things were then. One of the Chinese characters waxes nostalgic about the heroic yakuza films from Toei and Shochiku. But she soon talks about her disappointment over how real gangsters aren’t as noble as Ken Takakura’s characters. This soon changes as the movie gets wilder and we see her boss, who is a spitting image of Jimmy Wang Yu’s iconic One-Armed Swordsman character. 

It’s fitting that First Love opens with Toei’s classic logo. This movie feels fresh yet old fashioned. Miike and company clearly love the material and that energy is infectious. 

Well Go USA brings First Love Stateside with this handsome looking DVD Blu-ray combo. There are two audio options. The 5.1 Japanese DTS-HD MA track is smooth with no hiss or pops. The soundtrack and foley work is bold and sounds lovely on my home theater setup. The 5.1 English DTS-HD MA track is also spotless, I just prefer the original language whenever possible. English subtitles are included.* Sadly the disc is empty on extras except for a trailer gallery of other Well Go USA titles.

First Love is a wild time at the movies. Highly Recommended! 

*The DVD disc matches the Blu-ray.

Director- Takashi Miike

Cast- Masataka Kubota, Shota Sometani, Sakurako Konishi.

Country of Origin- Japan

Discs- 2

Distributor- Well Go USA

Reviewer- Tyler Miller