SummaryA young boxer and a call girl get caught up in a drug-smuggling scheme over the course of one night in Tokyo.
Directed By:Takashi Miike
Written By:Masa Nakamura
First Love
Metascore
Generally Favorable
77
User score
Generally Favorable
7.2
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
96% Positive
24 Reviews
24 Reviews
4% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Sep 26, 2019
90
To watch it is to feel Miike’s industriousness and partake of his pleasure: The cinema is his first love and likely also his last.
May 18, 2019
83
Frequently sublime ... a piece of work so feral and full of life that you’d never guess it was (at least) the 90th feature its director has made in the last 30 years.
User score
Generally Favorable
72% Positive
18 Ratings
18 Ratings
24% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
4% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Dec 5, 2021
8
This is a really gritty, bloody Japanese thriller comedy film. There are some amusing situations and moments but its more a thriller than a comedy overall and suffice to say, the comedy is indeed very black in nature (don't let the film name persuade you its a lovely dovey film - I don't think it's a spoiler to say that isn't entirely the case). The choreography of the fight scenes is quite good and the performances are decent. The storyline is a bit ludicrous but otherwise its really quite a gripping and tense watch. It is very darkly lit though, I suppose, which could perhaps cause frustration for people who may have issues seeing darkly shot films - that aside, I'd recommend this film, yes.
Feb 11, 2020
7
Supported by decent acting performances, a surprisingly good soundtrack, well made action sequences and an interesting story, "First Love" might not be Miike's finest film, but it's a very fun and entertaining one.
Feb 17, 2020
80
Eye-popping is one way to describe the prolific Japanese director’s 103rd film, a cheerfully pulpy Tokyo-set noir.
May 18, 2019
80
An exhilarating cocktail of bloodbath violence and tar-black humour that will be catnip to Midnight Madness programmers and Miike devotees.
Sep 23, 2019
75
First Love reveals itself to be an elegant and haunting Takashi Miike film in throwaway clothing.
May 18, 2019
70
It offers little thematically or stylistically novel that devotees of Japan’s most prolific B-movie maestro will not have seen many times before. Even so, the Tarantino-style rollercoaster ride is as effortlessly enjoyable as ever, accentuating the director's lighter comic leanings over his bloodthirsty side.
Sep 10, 2019
60
This is pop-punk filmmaking – vibrant, disposable, and shallow. Still, it’s difficult to care about the nutritional content of your confectionary when it tastes this sweet.
Oct 10, 2019
7
First Love is really just True Romance: 2019. However, I think there are a lot of really fun action sequences, some beautiful and aesthetic cinematography, and a fun score. This is a great film for a night at the cinema.
Production Company:
- Akatsuki
- HanWay Films
- Oriental Light and Magic (OLM)
- Recorded Picture Company (RPC)
- Toei Company
Release Date:Sep 27, 2019
Duration:1 h 48 m
Rating:TV-MA
Awards
Asian Film Awards
• 3 Nominations
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
San Sebastián International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
