Sumo Do, Sumo Don't

It's not just for Sumo addicts but knowing about it adds adds to the enjoyment. Similar charming films have been made with sports as the focus which in reality have little to do with sports.

There are a great number of films which use this ploy. I recall a track and field (now known as athletics) film from the seventies that explored race relations. An excellent film 'The Harder They Fall' about boxing dealt with crime and the exploitation of fighters. Clint Eastwood's 'Million Dollar Baby' offering was about relationships. 'Men with Brooms was not just about curling'.

So, this is less about Sumo than about traditional values and the Japanese perspective of traditional values. It's a real peek into the Japanese mind, and it's told with a touch of humour. (You get to learn a bit about the great sport of Sumo, too!)

With an interesting premise as well as memorable characters, Sumo Do is an enjoyable movie. It is a movie that geys better as it goes on, with very believable sumo matches.

However, there is some poor directing decisions with sometimes amatuerish camerawork and awkward shots. Some of the dialogue is also delivered (perhaps intentionally) in quick, robotic fashion.

Still, the unique aspects of the film and strength of characterization make it an above average japanese film.

This film is about a university sumo club that struggles to stay afloat, until several students come along to change all that.

"Sumo Do, Sumo Don't" is a touching tale of how the most unlikely people become heroes. The production is down to earth, and is devoid of lavishness which would distract viewers from the plot. There is also humour in the right context, making this more than just a feel good movie. The movie maintains a positive attitude, showing that people can succeed through hard work and determination. These attributes are becoming forgotten in the modern world, so a refreshing reminder is very welcomed.

Shiko Funjatta is a funny, smart, and endearing look at a diverse group of college kids who transform from half-hearted sumo novices (it's college sumo so weight classes keep the wrestlers "normal" sized, as opposed to professional sumo giants) into gung-ho participants who have the time of their lives. Think Bad News Bears, but for adults - though kids love it as well.

This movie, now a classic in Japan, won Best Movie as well as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. With this film (budgeted slightly under $1 million U.S.) Director and Writer Masayuki Suo established himself as the premier Japanese movie maker, breathing life into an industry that has been reduced to violence and skin flicks for far too long. After his successful follow-up with the larger budgeted Shall We Dansu? (1996), Suo is on his way to world-wide acclaim and success.

A brilliant film. A funny, different look at the Japanese sport, "Sumo". A must see.

Although not a million dollar budget Hollywood block buster, a MUST SEE.

6/10 from MaRX.

MaRX.