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Warai no Daigaku / University of Laughs (2004)

The main setting of this film is an interrogation room of the Law and Order Preservation Department at Tokyo Metropolitan Police Agency in the Showa 15th, 1940, when the war situation in China is worsening.

Only two principle characters appear in this film; a pitiless censor, Mutsuo Sakisaka (Koji Yakusho) and a scenario writer, Hajime Tsubaki (Goro Inagaki) belonging to a theater group, named Warai no Daigaku(University of Laughs). For Sakisaka, the very scenario written by Tsubaki is totally out of the question: the setting is a foreign country and the characters are all foreigners, and in any case, Sakisaka finds no significance in comedies.

Sakisaka, therefore, assigns Tsubaki almost impossible orders to alter his scenario to prohibit the performance. While trying to follow Kohsakas orders so as to gain his permission of performing, Tsubaki also tries to leave some elements of laughter in the scenario, looking for some means of escape.

As a matter of fact,Tsubaki's attitude angers Sakisaka but some strange phenomenon occurs in this room. Sakisakas requests and utterances result in the scenario being given more sense of fun, which impresses Tsubaki.
Cast:

Koji Yakusho: Mutsuo Sakisaka
Goro Inagaki: Hajime Tsubaki

Brief synopsis
Scenario by Kohki Mitani
Director: Mamoru Hoshi
Running time:121 min.

This film is based on the the stage play, "Warai no Daigaku "
by Kohki Mitani, which was first performed in 1996.



 http://www.pymmik.com/warai.html

My review:

Extremely classy comedy from Japan for once. Goro was superb in his show of helplessness and frustration. Never knew he could be such a comedic actor.  Koji of course surprised me because with such a dry subject, he made the lines and the absurdity of comedic script funny.  The last scene of course was very touching and often I pop this DVD in the TV just to watch the ending. This movie is worth every cents if you only watch one funny movie every year.

This movie received two nominations.

Screen Play of the Year Nomination, Mitani Koki (Japan Academy Prize 2005)
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Nomination, Yakusho Koji (Japan Academy Prize 2005)

DVD Special edition

DVD Standard edition


 

Some screencaps here.