Recently watched this Netflix series Giri/Haji about two brothers, one is a Japanese police detective and the other a hit man for the Japanese mob. It is set in Tokyo and London. I don’t particularly like violent films but this is not only about murder and mayhem. The cast is great and the characters are developed really well. Although I said I don’t like violence, I think I was in the mood for some shoot outs because of all the crappy news lately and I know this is fiction. One scene has a gang of Albanian mobsters getting ready to make a hit on a London gangster, Connor Abbot, and his crew. A policeman on his beat notices the Albanians pulling up outside a restaurant where Abbot is located. He calls in to headquarters to report ‘ a possible incident with numerous males outside a Spanish restaurant.’ As he watches them pull out heavy duty fire power, he yells into his phone, ‘ Oh shit! Guns, guns, guns!’ I found this very satisfying.
Violence in stories, unless it’s just gore for shock value, seem to satisfy the need for the black and white resolution of wrong doing. Seems to fulfill a need for wrong to be set right even though I know in reality things can’t be made right so easily with a fight. Or maybe we just like to see people fight with fists or guns.
The title of this film refers to duty (giri) to family and shame (haji) for all the bad stuff people do often to help their loved ones. Makes you wonder how far you would go to protect your family. Really liked the screenplay and the filming with some split screens, flashbacks, and some anime too.
Stream of Consciousness Saturday, #SOCS, is hosted by Linda G Hill. The prompt for today is “movie title.” Take the title of the last movie you watched (just the title, not the premise of the movie), and base your post on that title.
Featured image of a gangster by Péter Kadlec via Pixabay.com
