Ageman (1990)

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Jūzō Itami usually presents us with a satirical tale set in a very specific milieu - restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, the tax office, a family funeral - and with Tales of the Golden Geisha, it's the less universal and therefore approachable world of the modern geisha. Nobuko Miyamoto is just such a geisha who, released from service early by the death of her patron, becomes a sought-after "lucky charm" for various men, but they're all corrupt bankers and politicians (the patron was a member of the clergy, so no less hypocritical). These men, and the sexism inherent in geisha culture, are mocked and exposed, but it's really rather strange that, once we've been introduced to that culture, the film turns to romcom tropes. All the stranger because we really don't want the meetcute-d couple to get together no matter how often Fate puts them in each other's way. Miyamoto's geisha is a pleasant, even innocent, lady, so why should we want her to be with Masahiko Tsugawa's womanizing banker. She's treated horribly, but (geisha-like?) keeps a pleasant demeanor. It's off-putting, but it makes a point. Perhaps too subtle a point, which puts this at the bottom of Itami's films for me. But with Itami, even his bottom is higher than most directors' tops. 5 months ago