First Love, the 90th flick in Takashi Miike’s chaotically spacious and blood-drenched filmography, is a relatively diverting performance that unapologetically attempts to be the Fargo of Japanese cinema; evident in its developed moral intentions yet miserably underdeveloped and overcrowded plot.
First Love’s acting, dialogue and (some of the) action spectacles, however, are substantial and prove that Miike, writer Masa Nakamura, and their casting manager still have their creative dexterities intact. Phew.
In the end, at any rate, I wouldn’t say that I fancied First Love, but I’m far from saying that I hated it. It’s just a thing that…exists, to me. Ouch, I know.
Verdict: C+
“First Love” is now playing in select theaters.
Burning the Celluloid 
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