Jeans Blues: No Future

Jeans Blue: No Future, recently released on disc by Discotek, is an enjoyable crime film from Japan starring Meiko Kaji.

The plot has a lowly criminal making off with five million yen from his partners who wanted to kill him rather than share the loot. This criminal, Jiro, is pretty much on the bottom of the criminal hierarchy and is more braggart than thug. Fleeing his partners, Jiro runs his (stolen) car into the (stolen) car being driven by Hijiriko (Kaji), a bartender that has made off with her boss's evening take. She goes off with Jiro because she is bored, simple as that. In pursuit are Jiro's former partners, who are only slightly more professional than Jiro. The film's final third goes into Bonnie and Clyde territory, as Jiro and Hijiriko turn to armed robbery after losing Jiro's loot.

While not exactly action packed, Jeans Blue: No Future moves along at a study pace, keeps the viewer interested, and turns brutal (and grim) in the final third. The film also gets a boost from Meiko Kaji, who brings a certain style or attitude to the film. Viewers not taken with Meiko Kaji nor all that interested in Japanese crime films may not like the film as much as I did, but I was certainly entertained. The Blu-ray looks nice as well.