Directed by Jun Ichikawa | 76 mins | 2004
Jun Ichikawa is one of Japan’s least-appraised geniuses, and "Tony Takitani" is perhaps his masterpiece. This Haruki Murakami adaptation mirrors the author’s clear, precise prose with its study of a well-meaning loner, played perfectly by Issey Ogata ("Yi Yi", "Silence"), who’s given new purpose with a late-in-life love. Yet this romance comes at a high price and heavy consequences. Shot through with incredible texture, edited like a dream, and flawlessly complemented by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s outstanding score, Tony Takitani marks one of cinema’s finest character studies and the opportunity to discover an unheralded master.