Ryuzo is a retired yakuza gangster who lives a quiet unassuming life with his son, Ryuhei. One day, the old gangster receives a call from an impostor pretending to be his son asking for a hefty sum of money. Ryuzo sees through the trick. Re-uniting his seven former henchmen to strike back, Ryuzo learns that they have all grown weak with old age. The elderly yakuza members soon learn that they must overcome their weaknesses if they are to prove to be a match against the much younger opponents.
Blending gangster film and comedy, the indefatigable master of crime cinema Takeshi Kitano is returning with his signature approach that has earned him international repute.
"Ryuzo is intended as a laugh riot from beginning to end, with no glum reflections whatsoever on the plight of the aged."
- Mark Schilling, The Japan Times
Takeshi Kitano
Born in 1947 in Tokyo. First performing in theatre and then, under the fictitious name of 'Beat', Kitano became one of the most popular Japanese media personalities. A director, screenwriter, actor, TV-show host, painter, columnist and novelist, Kitano directed his first film at the end of the 1980s, and is today one of the foremost figures of contemporary Japanese cinema. Fireworks received first prize at the 1997 Venice Film Festival.