ReviewThe Confidence Man JP film review: Hong Kong-set Japanese TV series spin-off is an enjoyable caper
- Story of high-stakes con artists who travel to Hong Kong to steal a diamond from a triad boss is light, humorous and gets better as the action gets complicated
- However, it does not make the most of its Hong Kong setting, featuring clumsy Cantonese dialogue and no local actors
3/5 stars
A big-screen sequel to a star-studded Fuji TV drama series, The Confidence Man JP: The Movie follows Dako (Masami Nagasawa) and her crew of high-stakes con artists to Hong Kong, where they hope to relieve a notorious triad boss of an incredibly valuable diamond.
Along for the ride is new recruit Monaco (Lisa Oda), whom Dako intends to train in the art of the hustle, while hot on their trail is yakuza boss Akahoshi (Yosuke Eguchi), a former mark now looking for revenge. To further complicate matters, Dako’s former flame Jesse (Haruma Miura) also shows up, with an eye to stealing the legendary Purple Diamond for himself.
Director Ryo Tanaka and writer Ryota Kosawa also return; they maintain a light, humorous tone throughout and displaying a keen knowledge of the genre. Their casual comedic touch proves disarming on a number of occasions, and coaxes us into second-guessing the deceptions and double crosses to come while keeping a number of twists and turns hidden.
Freewheeling and frivolous in its first half, the film gets even better as the plot becomes increasingly convoluted. Red herrings and decoys litter the script from the get-go, and while the ultimate reveal comes somewhat out of left field, it provides a satisfying conclusion to this enjoyable farce.