Review of Saraba itoshiki hito yo

THE HEARTBREAK YAKUZA is a slow and uninvolving Japanese Yakuza movie that goes on a bit too long for its own good. Visually, the film seems to copy the style of John Woo in A BETTER TOMORROW, with a couple of decent action scenes involving fast-paced and bloody mayhem, particularly at the climax. For the most part, however, it's a slow-burning romance that offers only a handful of memorable and powerful moments. It feels dragged out and heavy-handed at times, with a cast who go through the motions rather than innovating, and unusually for a Japanese Yakuza film, it's actually boring for long stretches.