is a 2010 Japanese thriller film directed by

Junji Sakamoto is a Japanese film director. Career After working as a set assistant or assistant director under such filmmakers as Sogo Ishii and Kazuyuki Izutsu, he made his directorial debut in 1989 with '' Dotsuitarunen'' (earning the Directors Guild of Ja ...

, starring Toru Nakamura and

Manami Konishi , also known as KONI-TAN, is a Japanese actress, singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. Career Konishi appeared in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 2006 film '' Retribution'', which was screened at the 63rd Venice Film Festival. She also appeared i ...

. It is based on the novel of the same title by Tatsuo Shimizu.

Cast

* Tōru Nakamura as Hatano *

as Masako *

Nao Minamisawa is a Japanese actress. From 2012, she regularly appears in the ETV science program ''Science Zero''. Biography Minamisawa starred in '' Akai Ito''. She appeared in Junji Sakamoto's 2010 film '' Strangers in the City''. She is fluent in Korean. ...

as Yukari * Yosuke Kubozuka as Nakagome *

Renji Ishibashi , born is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 15th Hochi Film Award for '' Rōnin-gai''. Filmography Film Television Video game * '' Yakuza: Dead Souls'' - Oyassan References External links * Renji Ishib ...

as Ikebe *

Shun Sugata is a Japanese actor. Career Sugata was born in Yamanashi Prefecture. He starred in the 2006 film ''Confessions of a Dog''. He appeared in Amir Naderi's 2011 film ''Cut''. Filmography Film * ''Seiha'' (1982) as Nakahara * ''Kita no hotaru'' ...

as Omori * Kyoko Enami as Masako's mother *

Arata Iura , previously known as Arata, is a Japanese actor, model and fashion designer. He is the Director of fashion brand Elnest Creative Activity. He holds the position of Director at the Artisan Culture Organisation Institute. Biography Iura co-star ...

as Masako's boyfriend *

Tetta Sugimoto is a Japanese actor. Career Sugimoto was first a member of a rock band before he debuted as an actor in 1983 in the film ''Hakujasho''. For that film, he won a Japan Academy Prize best newcomer award. In addition to his work in film, he has als ...

as Hatano's former colleague * Eriko Sato as Hatano's former colleague *

Mitsuki Tanimura is a Japanese actress. Biography Tanimura was born in Sakai, Osaka. She starred in Akihiko Shiota's ''Canary'' and Norio Tsuruta's ''Orochi''. She has also appeared in films such as Takashi Miike's '' God's Puzzle'', Junji Sakamoto's '' Str ...

as Yukari's friend

Release

''Strangers in the City'' premiered at the

Busan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously Pusan International Film Festival, PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan (''also'' Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festi ...

on October 11, 2010. It also screened as the North American premiere at the

Japan Cuts JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film is an annual festival of modern Japanese cinema held at New York City's Japan Society. The festival was first held in 2007, growing out of the Japan Society's popular bi-annual series, ''New Films from J ...

on July 17, 2011.

Reception

Mark Schilling Mark Schilling (born 1949) is an American film critic, journalist, translator, and author based in Tokyo, Japan. He has written for ''The Japan Times'', ''Variety'', and ''Screen International''. Biography Schilling began working for ''The Japan ...

of ''

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc.. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

'' criticized ''Strangers in the City'', noting that the director Junji Sakamoto and the screenwriter Shoichi Maruyama could not decide what the film is about. Meanwhile, Russell Edwards of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' said, " anamiKonishi exhibits a powerful range of suppressed emotions as Hatano's former child bride-cum-Tokyo bargirl."

References

External links

* 2010 films Films directed by Junji Sakamoto 2010 crime thriller films Japanese romance films Japanese crime thriller films Toei Company films 2010s Japanese films {{crime-thriller-film-stub