DTC: Yukemuri Junjo Hen from High&Low (2018)

High&Low DTC is the movie that we never asked for but we all needed. It's fun, it's funny, and it's touching, and has a plot towards the end that could stand on it's own if it wasn't part of this franchise. In a franchise that's known for it's depressing stories and violence, this is a breath of fresh air and shows another side of the High&Low 'verse.

First off: this movie is very much made for fans of the franchise. While it won't spoil anything from the previous movies, there's a lot of in-jokes and mentions of off-screen characters (often for a joke) that is really hilarious to fans but probably not so much for people who haven't watched the show at least.

The first half of the movie is pretty dense comedy, and I busted my gut laughing quite a few times. But then the movie dives into a story about a couple deciding if they should marry, and the DTC crew decides to lend a hand. It's really touching, and it gives Dan, Tetz and Chiharu a lot of room to show off themselves outside of the series. It's the content we've all wanted, seeing characters from High&Low in their daily lives and what they do outside of "protecting this town".

The main story of the drama itself, focusing on new characters at an onsen, is really really good. The ending surprised me a bit and definitely made me tear up! All the new characters are amazing and the acting was great.

If you love High&Low, you can't miss it!

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Can you have a mid-life crisis in your 20s?

There are very TINY spoilers. Some that will make you laugh.
I couldn't believe what I was watching. There are expectations when watching a High & Low film.
1. Fighting.
2. A lot of detail to the inner friendships inside the gangs.
3. The relationships and friendships between the gangs.
4. They affect and are affected by society.
5. The extreme distinctive detail to what makes them different.
***
What was the ONLY thing they SORT of kept in the film? No. 5. What was the rest of it?
Mid to Late 20-year-old men going through a mid-life crisis is what I saw in the movie. Yeah, it was boring. It felt pretty forced and it had nothing to do w/ anything that could be called High & Low. I could barely recognize the guys based on their "original" character that's how OTT they were. You didn't hear them when they came on screen for the literally 5 sec screen time they had. When they brought in the other "gangs" [in quotes] b/c they were walk-on lackeys -they were just fodder. They didn't even show up w/ their respective soundtracks like they usually do.

This segues into another problem w/ the soundtrack. The new gang that arose from the defunct Cobra - created this sort of cabaret band that makes the most awful cheesy music. UGH. Horrible soundtrack music. Just shoot me now.

As I said when I came to watch the movie I came to watch 1-5, I won't deny 1 was on my list (w/ everyone on board). However, 2-5 dominating. However, what I watched was a cross-country bromance of boys figuring the meaning of life & themselves. Then they were on their way back home rejuvenated w/ a To Be Continued.

If it continues like this they can keep it.

**As a note I normally high grade the acting b/c it's supposed to be slightly OTT. However, due to the poor storyline, the actors just couldn't manage what was on screen. It was just all over the place & a mess.

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