Mystery
novelist Aki Akahori’s Inspector Takabe is like a Japanese Maigret, but her
life is about to turn into a Mary Higgins Clark novel, except darker. A chance
encounter with a seductive stranger leads to more intrigue than Akahori
bargained for in Dave Boyle’s Man from
Reno (clip
here),
the best narrative award winner at the 2014 L.A. Film Festival, screens as part
of this year’s Japan Cuts: the New York Festival of Contemporary Japanese Film.
Although
Takabe rules the Japanese bestseller lists, Akahori is uncomfortable with her
success. Tired of her celebrity status, she deserts her publicity tour, taking
refuge in San Francisco, where she once went to school. In her hotel, she meets
a handsome Japanese tourist from Reno, or so she deduces. She did not have a
tryst in mind, but she eventually yields to his charms. However, just when
things start heating up, he precipitously vanishes. Even more disconcerting are
the total strangers who suddenly want to take a quick look-see in her room.
Just
north of town, Paul Del Moral, the sheriff of San Marco, is also searching for
a Japanese man. In this case, it is the individual he accidentally hit during
severe fog-in, who up and left the hospital in an equally rash manner. Soon a
dead body turns up in San Marco who seems to have some connection to the fellow
Del Moral dubbed “Running Man.” Inevitably, Del Moral’s investigation will lead
him to the increasingly uneasy Akahori.
Reno represents a
quantum step up for Boyle, whose previous films, like White on Rice, have been largely classifiable as romantic comedies.
His frequent collaborator Hiroshi Watanabe is also back in the fold, but this
time around he plays a strictly serious supporting role. Instead, Ayako
Fujitani and veteran character actor Pepe Serna take star turns as Akahori and
Del Moral, respectively. Expect to see more of them because they both make
major statements with their smart, charismatic, yet understated performances.
As
thrillers go, Reno (co-written by
Boyle, Joel Clark, and Michael Lerman) has several fresh twists and it nicely captures
the between-worlds vibe of the expatriate lifestyle. Technically polished, Richard
Wong’s evocatively noir cinematographer also heightens the tension during
several key scenes.
