Waga jinsei saiaku no toki

Beautifully acted, the film is touchingly human and, thankfully, devoid of any vapid, ironic kitsch.

A wildly entertaining detective thriller that succeeds entirely on its own terms.

At heart, a work of infectious, unironic affection.

Kaizo Hayashi's homage to noir B movies, both Japanese and American, is successful as a true labor of love.

The gangster-movie plot, themes, and allusions aren't nearly as intriguing as the earnestly kitschy black-and-white wide-screen images or the mesmerizing, minimalist sound effects.

A mildly amusing Japanese appropriation of 1950's American detective movies.

Mostly an unfunny, rather dull affair.