Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2014

Cinematographer Masaki Tamura is something of an icon in the Japanese film industry. He has lensed everything from legendary cult films (like two of the Lady Snowblood series, starring Meiko Kaji) to cutting-edge work for currently active directors (like lauded auteur Shinji Aoyama). Tamura has been behind the camera for some masterworks of Japanese cinema including Juzo Itami’s widely loved Tampopo and Mitsuo Yanagimachi’s Fire Festival (not to mention Naomi Kawase’s Caméra d’Or winner at Cannes, Moe no Suzaku). Thus it comes as a shock that the 75-year-old lensman would choose to take up directing now—but that he has. Using an adaptation of Takami Ito’s Akutagawa Prize-winning novel Drive-in Gamo, Tamura sketches the life of a family that runs a shabby drive-in. Sister Saki (Mei Kurokawa) and brother Toshi (Shota Sometani) grew up on a deserted stretch of highway, raised by their nasty ex-yakuza dad (Masatoshi Nagase). Needless to say, life was rough. Saki, bullied as a child, gets pregnant and escapes, only to return due to spousal abuse. Bleak but compelling, Drive-in Gamo reminds one of other character studies set in desolate areas, like Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas. (89 min.)