Kin'yû hametsu Nippon: Tôgenkyô no hito-bito

If you thought Miike was nothing but a deviant obsessed with sex and violence (Dead or Alive, Ichi the Killer, Visitor Q, Audition, etc.), you'll be very surprised by Shangri-La.

A printer is forced to shut down his business after his main client goes bankrupt. That rich client has a lot of property and assets hidden away and doesn't plan to use those assets to pay for his debts. Ridden with shame from leaving his employees without a job, the printer tries to commit suicide but ends up instead in Shangri-La. Inhabited by social misfits, Shangri-La is basically a small group of makeshift houses by a river in an industrial wasteland. The "Mayor" and the "Deputy" of Shangri-La set on to help the printer get revenge on the rich businessman, and make a little fortune while they're at it.

Who would have thought Miike would deliver a solid, tightly-paced, feel-good movie ? Hilarious at times and based on a fantastic script, this movie proves that Miike can and will do anything that inspires him. He has balls of steel and doesn't care what you expect of him.

8/10