Rating of
3/4
Drunken Angel review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 07/04/13
"Times sure have changed around here." A very frank doctor with integrity, Dr. Hanada (Takashi Shimura) treats a hood named Matsunaga (Toshiro Mifune). Great screenplay as expected from the legendary director. "We all have fears. We're human." "Human sacrifice has gone out of style." "Everything is so screwed up." - Doctor "Love made everything clear." - Nurse Miyo, "Your not young anymore. Go easy." "Old Men are so repetitive." - Matsunaga.
Since it's one of the earlier films from Kurosawa it still lacks that certain spark to make it great, but wonderful enough to be drama despite the lack of criminal action sequences. Mifune shines in his role (as reaiterated by Kurosawa in the supplements, really praised his performance) and Shimura does a splendid job with the straightforward doctor. The criterion collection special features such as the documentary on Akira Kurosawa was so worth it. It boasted footage of the director talking about the sets/sketches of drafts and people he continued to work with after creating Drunken Angel. The bios of the artists were inserted as well. Great score, dialogues, acting, direction and concept, a good crime drama from the Japanese master.
