Too Tired to Die (1998)

the audience applauded

Simply Perfect

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

I was looking forward to seeing Kaneshiro Takeshi in an English-speaking role, because I've always wanted to see him in US Movies. Moving away from my initial reason for watching this, I was deceived by the "comedy" label attached to it (much like I was tricked by Spanking the Monkey) and was looking forward to a nice romp when it opened with an old Baghdad myth about Death.The start was slow and I was a little leery about it, until Sorvino showed up after the chase and the film really sped up.I have to say, I didn't like the "German" actress at all, although I was amused at Kenji's reactions to her. I did like the café guy and the Italian friend, but that's because their pretensions make them feel better about themselves, even if they're mostly falsehoods. Other than the German woman, the casting was interesting and very diverse. I bought it because it was New York City. If it had been somewhere else, it would have been more questionable.Of all the characters, I loved Kaneshiro's awkward, rather withdrawn, and just clumsy self. Sorvino was also excellent, though, especially in the dream sequences. Personally, I was curious why she spoke the Chinese (yes, I know she speaks it), but didn't do the Japanese in the dream sequence. (Maybe because she looked awkward in the kimono?) The filming itself was interesting, mostly because it felt jerky, and awkward, much like the main character. It isn't as bad towards the middle and end, and I rather feel it's because it was trying to pick up momentum with the story.The storyline is rather simplistic, but it seems right. Like mentioned elsewhere, Kenji dithers and wastes his time. He asks questions, but doesn't really listen to the answers. He now demands attention and affection, but he doesn't find it until the very end. Overall, the simplicity was all the better for the character and story. Complications were thrown in by showing shots of Death and her Minions' interactions with humans and their discussions about them and their role. I think it was interesting.My other (small) annoyance was that the subtitles were not accurate in the DVD version I had. I mean, it was translating Chinese, Japanese, and French, and it did an adequate job with the Japanese, but somehow butchered the French.Overall, it's not really a comedy, but it's hard to label it a tragedy either. The fleeting aspect of life is highlighted in this film, and how we should appreciate little things. How over thinking things can, in the end, can destroy us. I liked it. It was an interesting ride.

First of all, the movie's setting is a multi-ethnic New York City. Our hero,Kenji, is part of a great mix of foreign-born/U.S. racial minorities/gay & straight people. His Japanese accent and his best friend's Italian accent are just part of the fun. Ethnic stereotypes are jokes.Kenji really, really wants to fall in love, but seems to be living just on handouts from his parents. His Italian friend fancies himself a filmmaker, but has a job selling movie tickets. They're living on dreams and illusions, but I wouldn't call that aimless, would you? (!)Second point -- The story is told in a very interesting way. Part of it is dreams, part of it is real life, and in parts, the dreams sort of push into real life. It's not that hard to keep track of, tho. The story is told chronologically and only takes 2 days.Third -- the actors are uniformly wonderful. The supporting roles, especially Ben Gazzara, are so memorable it almost seems crazy not to veer off on each one. Then there is a whole string of cameo bits that stick in your mind -- the "Balzac man," a pseudo-intellectual guy in the café, will make you laugh -- the transvestite hooker -- the fortune teller -- there must be 20 of these gems! Fans of Mira Sorvino and Takeshi Kaneshiro will not be disappointed. As a very sexy Death, Sorvino shares with us her viewpoint, one that's not so hard to understand after all. We can see that it's natural that Death would have her favorites (not that it would be any great consolation). Her interactions with her 2 assistants are pretty hilarious.Kaneshiro's trademark blend of funny and intense makes him so rewarding to watch. No one can say he's weak or uncertain as an actor, and that was really important to this movie. He communicates a lot through his expressive attention to the other actors, but when it comes to the pivotal scene where he speaks out, his words are extremely powerful.Last -- the ending of the story takes us by surprise, even though we have known how it would end through much of the movie. It happens in a way we wouldn't have expected.Best of all are the interesting things that occur to us as we watch, like what does knowing you're going to die really change? There are lots of foreshadowings that prepare us for the main action (for example, everybody reminds the love interest, Pola, of someone else who turns out to be kind of relevant). It's hard for anyone to see this movie without suspecting there was more in there than they were able to catch.(Remind me to look up Pola Negri) I think there are plenty of people who would love this movie, and hope this helps you know if you're one of them. It's a serious story but very enjoyable.

i just finished watching "too tired to die" on cinemax. i had seen the commercial for it earlier today, and it looked like it was a good watch. basically, a japanese slacker, played by takeshi kenshiro (from 'chungking express' - another excellent movie), is approached by death, played by mira sorvino, and told that he has 12 hours to live. from that premise, i figured it would be your basic lark of a movie, seeing how a slacker deals with the fact that he has half a day left to live.it wasn't quite the hour and a half of hijinx and hilarity that i'd expected.not to say that it wasn't good. it was. i just --- it was one of those movies that ends and i'm not quite sure just what i'm feeling. one of those movies without an actual crescendo or climax or resolution, or anything. not your typical movie vehicle. and so, now that it's over, i have no idea what to feel. i mean, it basically followed his 12 hours, and the surreal, bizarre events that take place. i can't even discuss it or how i feel about it or talk about what happened, because i don't want to spoil it for whomever might be reading this. it was just one of those movies that leaves you hanging and yet, at the same time, doesn't. it was a little confusing, and a little ... i don't even know.i can't help but feel that i missed out on something in the movie. like it was some art piece that somehow escapes me. that i can't quite understand. which is funny, because that exact premise came up in the movie, where kenji (the main character) is looking at a piece of abstract art and asks the artist if it's possible to like something without understanding it. i guess that's how i feel about the movie. i liked it, and i know it was a good movie, but i can't understand it. and i can't help but wonder if i'm missing out on something bigger because i can't understand it. for maybe it wasn't even meant to be understood. after all, isn't the purpose of art to create different meanings in different people? each person who views it, who experiences it, creates their own interpretation of it. maybe it wasn't intended to be understood. just watched, enjoyed (and i don't even know if i enjoyed it. if that makes any sense. i know i liked it, but did i enjoy it?), and appreciated.maybe this is what the director had in mind. maybe this is what he wanted? for the audience, after watching it, to just sit and not know what they feel. whether or not they enjoyed it, or understood it, or even knew what the hell just happened.i know i want a copy of it, though. i know that i want to be able to share it with people, and --i just called a friend on his cell phone. told him to remember the name of the movie, and try to catch it on cinemax, or watch it. i need someone to share it with. discuss it with. someone to help me understand it, maybe, i don't even know. it's just too --- god. it's a mind f*ck, and emotion f*ck, a head f*ck. i couldn't even form coherent sentences on the phone, while trying to explain the movie to phil. i feel like i'm some sort of messed up, bizarre drug, that's how messed this movie has me. i don't get it. it was such a ... non-movie movie ... and yet it's got me so affected. it just WHAM hit me. maybe it's just me. just some weird emotional state i'm in that was triggered or enhanced by the movie, but i can't remember being this -- shaken, moved, affected, bewildered -- by a movie. i keep rambling on, spewing words onto the computer, hoping one of them will help describe what i feel, but so far none of them are even close to it.

The aimless protagonist is an all too believable character, and therefore there is considerable empathy for him, even when his behavior is not justifiable. This film really gave me something to think about; how many people would do better than Kenji if given 24 hours to put their life in order? In traditional Hollywood, everything would miraculously work out fine, but of course Wonsuk Chin knows better than that. This is a case where I think a bitter flavor is better than sweetness. Not all of the loosely-linked scenes work, and Sorvino can grate at times, but on the whole the movie is very much worth seeing. The opening is wonderful.