A common criticism of American films is that they focus on special effects and big-ticket stars at the expense of anything resembling a credible storyline. The same could be said of "Wasabi", where the plot is so thin as to be practically skeletal. To its credit, at least the weakness of the story is offset by some capable performances and a good comic dynamic.
Jean Reno, as a heavy-handed police inspector, plays his part well, but he's capable of far better. He's too professional to actually sleepwalk through the part, but he's not far off it and it's probably the fault of the script for not putting him to better use.
The star turn comes from Ryoko Hirosue, in a fizzball performance that's the perfect foil to the sombre gravitas of Reno's character. As a caricature of a Tokyo teenager, she's an explosion of bright colors and effervescent emotions. Yumi's moods change too fast to be entirely believable, but it's a tribute to the skill of the actress that she is able not only to handle the range of emotions required, but also to fuse them into a likeable whole.
The movie is essentially set up as a series of comic setpieces (and periodic outbursts of cartoonish but often bloody violence) featuring Reno and Hirosue (or between Reno and sidekick Michel Muller, all bulging eyes and protruding ears). The combinations work well, and there are some genuinely funny moments, helped by some witty editing. But ultimately, many of the scenes feel like token nods to the need to move the weak story along to the next comic interlude.
The basic 'odd couple' premise is a well-tested device, and the two lead actors are more than gifted enough to make it work, but they're sold short by a story that feels like it was scribbled on a napkin over lunch and then given to a secretary to flesh out.
Jean Reno, as a heavy-handed police inspector, plays his part well, but he's capable of far better. He's too professional to actually sleepwalk through the part, but he's not far off it and it's probably the fault of the script for not putting him to better use.
The star turn comes from Ryoko Hirosue, in a fizzball performance that's the perfect foil to the sombre gravitas of Reno's character. As a caricature of a Tokyo teenager, she's an explosion of bright colors and effervescent emotions. Yumi's moods change too fast to be entirely believable, but it's a tribute to the skill of the actress that she is able not only to handle the range of emotions required, but also to fuse them into a likeable whole.
The movie is essentially set up as a series of comic setpieces (and periodic outbursts of cartoonish but often bloody violence) featuring Reno and Hirosue (or between Reno and sidekick Michel Muller, all bulging eyes and protruding ears). The combinations work well, and there are some genuinely funny moments, helped by some witty editing. But ultimately, many of the scenes feel like token nods to the need to move the weak story along to the next comic interlude.
The basic 'odd couple' premise is a well-tested device, and the two lead actors are more than gifted enough to make it work, but they're sold short by a story that feels like it was scribbled on a napkin over lunch and then given to a secretary to flesh out.