People Just Do Nothing: Big in Japan

'People Just Do Nothing: Big in Japan' (2021) is honestly one of those very lowkey but classic films. It retains the same humor and style from the series, and is almost the perfect mockumentary film if you've seen the series.

I'm biased because I loved the series, and this film relies a little bit on the series, but as a standalone film its still funny. The humor is dry, cringey, and a perfect mockumentary style. Everything is executed surprisingly well especially the dialogue and camera shots.

My only complaints are that this film is near impossible to watch if you are in the United States. Buy the dvd or hoist the sails I guess. I do wish there was more musical performances by Kurupt FM though.

Overall, its pretty great for fans. Still pretty good for fresh ears though especially if you know people who act like an overgrown child at times. Find the film somehow and watch it!

Having experience in both UK music culture and Tokyo life this film isn't as far off the mark as some people seem to think it is.

The Tokyo locations, mostly Shinjuku and easily recognisable to locals are well chosen, the language and culture barrier details are multilayered and well observed, and not done in a way to be actually stereotypical or derogatory.

The music industry is heavily managed in Japan, and image can be meticulously sculpted, just like in the US/UK manufactured pop scene.

Faded and fallen acts can have surprise success in Japan, - 90s wash outs Kula shaker playing festivals just a few years back!!, and that success is often devoid of it's original scene context, ie Japan will like mohawked punk without knowing about thatcher govt and the social and political scene that created it, they just like the look and sound of it and enjoy it on that level.

So this film got all of that right and delivered it with good humor, although it did cherry pick its cultural points specifically to forward the story, so practically none of the amazing positive things about Tokyo were shown; it's vibrancy, respect, deep culture and history, generous and deeply funny and fun people, self aware, smart, creative, that stuff doesn't really get much of a look in here, but that's fine, it's not the story they're telling.

So too it gets the deluded low level musicians of the electronic music scene. So many clever details (why have I got a guitar in my hand??), only got 2 songs, Beatles etc, And then the social commentary is great.

"I've never received a salary in my whole life".

"I didn't enjoy it, but I loved it" "It tastes normal" etc

A lot of this rings true and is pretty funny.

I know the Japan portrayed is supposed to play on that trope "oh those crazy japs " etc but, it's not that crazy when you live amongst it.

Whilst the plot is very predictable, People Just Do Nothing: Big in Japan is still a great mockumentary that's really funny and heartwarming whilst also being very accessible to newcomers. Allan Mustafa, Hugo Chegwin, Asim Chaudhry, Steve Stamp, Dan Sylvester Woolford and Lily Brazier are all incredible. Jack Clough's direction is great, it's well filmed and well paced. The majority of the jokes land and work extremely well and the soundtrack is fantastic.

It's about time that a series translated to a movie very very well, if you like the series you will definitely like the movie. It's a classic beginning, middle an end (un-original) but the way the movie is composed is very original. This is not a movie To watch if you want to be kept guessing until the end. But the way the movie takes you on a journey will keep you guessing. After watching this I sat back and the first thing I thought of was that was crazy. Also a few laugh out loud moments. The stayed true to the series very well. Not going to be in your top movies of all time but will certainly be a movie that you can watch and not feel like you've saved your time. Hopefully there will be a number 2.

I loved the commentaries on Brits going abroad and doing things they would do back home, which is comical in itself; and also how big labels in the music industry can exert their power over smaller artists and coerce them into doing things they may not have originally wanted to. If you're a fan of People Just Do Nothing or the mockumentary genre as a whole, then I'd recommend giving this film a watch as it provides those moments of cringe-humour and it's great to see the characters of the show in a completely different setting to their usual Brentford estate. Honestly, a fun film that provided some much needed escapism.