Thursday, August 30, 2007

Jmovie review: Bubble Fiction Boom or Bust/ Baburu e go!! Taimu mashin wa doramu-shiki


Just the fact that this movie stars two of my favourite actors ever, Abe Hiroshi and Hirosue Ryoko is more than enough reason to watch it. Bubble Fiction takes place in an alternate reality where in 1990, the Finance Minister of Japan put forward place ceilings on real estate transactions thereby prematurely bursting the boom. This leads to a situation where Japan is heavily in debt and would be bankrupt in two years.

Hirosue Ryoko shaking her booty to C+C Music Factory's Everybody Dance Now.

Yakushimaru Hiroko (Sawajiri Erika's mom from Ichi Litre no Namida) plays a scientist who travels back to 1990 using a washing machine to try to stop the law from being passed. Unfortunately, she failed and Abe Hiroshi has to send her daughter, played by Hirosue Ryoko back in time to save her mom and Japan. Yes, it sounds wacky and this film is wacky, in a good way.

Abe Hiroshi stunned when told that in 2007 one can download high quality JAV on their computer.

The fact that the time machine is a washing machine is not just a great source of humour, its telling the audience to turn of the brains and enjoy the movie for what it is, a look at Japan during the great bubble economy. The sight of 80's perm hair and clothing is enough to make me lol. I don't know much about the time when Japan is booming and everyone had money. I'm sure that to most Japanese, it must have been the time of their lives, just as how uni life was the best period for me. A world where people spent money like water and the Japanese felt so invincible.

OMFG. Hirosue Ryoko in a mizugi!!!!!

Abe Hiroshi is great as the womanising Shimokawaji. Its a testament to his acting ability that he can easily play loner characters like Kuwano in KDO and then a ladies man in Bubble Fiction. Hirosue Ryoko is a bit too old for her character but I'm just happy to see her acting.


The best part of the show is seeing how different things were in 1990 compared to today. Mobile phones didn't exist. People go to discos instead of pubs. The lame fashion from that period. I wish that they could have spent more time looking back at 1990 but the pacing of the show is more important. IMO, the best way to describe the show would be Austin Powers without Austin Powers.


The last half hour is not as fun to watch. Basically we have two comedic action scenes which aren't really funny. They never established that Abe Hiroshi is a great fighter except that he has no problems getting punched by women. The movie would have benefited from cutting down on the comedy action but the two scenes serve as the climax for two different stories so shikataganai.

I can't believe people actually found that sexy....

After some pretty disappointing Japanese movies this year, (hint: avoid Blue Wolf, Nana 2) Bubble Fiction is really a breath of fresh air. Its not nearly as good as feel good comedies like Swing Girls or Get Up! but its still pretty good.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This was a good watch. And good to see Hirosue still has a smorking flat tummy and body.

iampeter said...

movie was really enjoyable. abe hiroshi very funny and always has likeable characters!

lzyData said...

I was introduced to Hirosue Ryoko first in Long Vacation where she played that shy piano student who secretly likes Sharan Q, and then in Beach Boys where she was the eye candy. It's really great to see she hasn't lost the touch even after marriage and pregnancy. Somehow makes me feel like it hasn't already been ten years since those classic dramas.

Akiramike said...

Can't believe that the tomboy in Long Vacation grew up to be her. :)