Juzo Itami's rotating satirical turret, having blasted at Japanese burial customs (The Funeral), gastronomy (Tampopo), tax evasion (A Taxing Woman, A Taxing Woman Returns), now takes aim at the intimidation and extortion practices of yakuza. For his trouble, he was knifed after the movie's release by three gangsters less leery of physical violence than the bluffing bullies portrayed on screen. Repetitive, overplayed, overpunctuated by "funny" music, the movie is nonetheless a fine-looking one -- bright, colorful, contrasty -- and provides another plum role for the director's wife, Nobuko Miyamoto, as an intrepid attorney specializing in taming unruly yakuza. (1992) — Duncan Shepherd
This movie is not currently in theaters.