MartinHafer If you did an experiment and had three or four different authors write a film--each writing a portion and then piecing them together--this is what "Waga Jinsei No Toki" ("The Most Terrible Time in My Life") looks like. And, I would add, it's as if the different authors really didn't read each others work before they began writing and only had a a very general idea what the film was about in the first place. It's a shame, really, as PARTS of the film are very good...and other parts really don't seem to fit.The first portion of the film had a lot of promise--and I was thrilled to watch. A guy named 'Miku Hama' (in other words, a Japanese bastardization of 'Mike Hammer'--the Mickey Spillane character) is a Japanese private eye whose office is above a movie theater. To get to see Mike, they make you pay admission to the theater. And, Mike drives a cool little Nash Metropolitan--one of the quirkiest cars ever made. So, naturally I assumed it was a comedy--a comedy with film noir overtones (with its retro black & white cinematography and look). Even when Mike meets and tries to help a Taiwanese man, the film, though dark, seemed like a comedy. In a nod, perhaps to "Chinatown", Mike's finger is sliced off trying to help the guy.Unfortunately, Mike eventually became more of a secondary character and his new Chinese friend became more the subject of the film. And, the friend's desire to track down his long-lost brother took a very, very dark turn. Instead of comedy, the film became quite bloody and a bit nihilistic. A bit like film noir, perhaps, but with a much more negative and nasty edge.I'd say that for the most part, watching this movie was a very frustrating experience. Parts were wonderful but the overall film didn't add up to a likable whole. Surprisingly, the film spawned a pair of sequels--one of which is shown, in part, at the end of this film. Also, the old-time Japanese noir actor Jô Shishido (who had facial implants to make himself look more like a chipmunk) makes a totally random appearance in the film--and it seemed like they had no idea what to do with him. It's a shame, really, as Shishido's films appear to have strongly influenced these film makers and I wanted to see more of him.

Andy (film-critic) Joining together such forces as American noir, Japanese gangster, the always enjoyable (see sarcasm) French New Wave, and low-brow comedy, "The Most Terrible Time in My Life" is a complex who-done-it that never quite leaves the ground until the third and final act. Attempting to keep audiences attentions by introducing random acts of violence (like the sliced finger and repetitive punch to the leg), our central story remains weak and disjointed. From the beginning, where a random detective (located within a theater) stands up for a seemingly weak mahjongg waiter, we just don't get enough information about the basics of film – the why, who, where, and how – to really care about these two "friends" next course of action. Our director leads us down paths which involve gangsters, missing brothers, misplaced marriages, and then into the dark void of nothingness, until the final act (which I will not give away), that makes you stand up, gain an once of respect for this film, and perhaps eager to see the supposed sequel.With such a variety of different homage happening in this film, director Kaizo Hayashi has his hands full. After two viewings of the first thirty minutes of this film, I knew I was going to have my hands full. There is just too much happening without further detailed explanations. As an audience, linear is not the only option. One cannot complain about strong storytelling, intriguing characters, and a plot that keeps your mind focused on detail, but with "MTTiML" there was nothing of the sort. Hayashi replaces all of these important facets of cinema with cute images. Hama has a retro American car, he holds office in a movie theater that ironically dictates his life, and sometimes gets angry for no reason. There is also some back story about his mother, his sister, and an angry police officer that we are only privy to small flashbacks of. There was more to tell with this story, something that would eventually lead to that entertaining third act, but alas, there was nothing. As my eyes grew heavy, as Hayashi pulled further into a world that had no central meaning, I was ready to give up – but then, that third act. Just watch this film for the final moments, where we have some central conflict, our black and white turns to color, and finally we have some music to accompany the images. That will tell you enough about this film to see the truth.Overall, I cannot stand behind this feature. Within the second viewing there were hopes that it would become more connected, that our characters wouldn't just seem like cheap clichés of themselves, but it never happened. There were three to five great scenes that demonstrated the power of Hayashi's ability to control the camera and lead his actors, but those were nearly drowned out by the dull nature of the rest of the picture. The concept was there, it was the execution that was flimsy. One viewing, that is all you need – it will either entertain or provide a good night's rest. You can be the judge.Grade: ** out of **** (merely for that third act, one could watch those final twenty minutes again and again)

Mr Yuck This one caught my eye in the foreign section of Hollywood Video. I've heard it said that noir is a dead type of film, not so. Though in many ways this parodies the noir films of the 40s and 50s, it had its strengths and comes across as a noir pretty well.The lighting was amazing, as was the framing framing; every shot was perfect and the plot wasn't half bad.When the film started, I thought it was set in the 50's or thereabouts, with the protagonist driving a Nash Metropolitan and the theatre featuring Cinemascope. But at one point a character suggests that fingers can be reattached now, and then more modern cars were shown parked on the street, stuff like this can get to you.I loved this, I would definitely recommend it.

psteier Brings Mike Hammer Private Eye style movie making to a modern Japanese setting. Though shot in (widescreen) black and white, it doesn't look like the noir movies of the 1940's and 1950's. Has a good mix of action and humor and is usually fast paced. Can be hard to follow at times.