University of Laughs (DVD) (Standard Edition) (English Subtitled) (Japan Version) DVD Region 2

Set in 1940 Japan, the movie centers on seven days in the life of Tsubaki Hajime (SMAP's Inagaki Goro), a jittery, but earnest writer/director for an Asakusa comedy troupe, who is obligated by law to submit his latest script for governmental approval before it can be performed in public. This normally wouldn't be much of a problem, since Tsubaki's previous visits to the censor have resulted in approval with only minor edits. But unfortunately for the hapless writer, there's a new sheriff in town in the form of Sakisaka Mutsuo (the great Yakusho Koji), a hard-nosed police censor with a big axe to grind with purveyors of "lowbrow" entertainment. Unimpressed with some of the liberties Tsubaki has taken in his script, Sakisaka mercilessly points out the "faults" of the play, believing them to be too extensive to be revised. Tsubaki pleads with Sakisaka, who eventually agrees to allow him another chance, suggesting that the playwright make certain key changes and come back the next day. And so begins a seven day battle of wits between the two men, that eventually blossoms into the unlikeliest of partnerships.

Although the first few meetings begin with the seemingly humorless Sakisaka making unreasonable demands, Tsubaki soon realizes the stoic official has a talent for comedy. With each passing visit, Sakisaka transforms from censor to de facto script doctor, evaluating the play less for its possible inflammatory content and more on its comedic value. Consequently, Tsubaki's parody of Romeo and Juliet, which seems funny on its own, becomes even funnier thanks to Sakisaka's unconventional help. Although frustrated by the process, Tsubaki soon learns that when an artist is forced to work within constraints, he can sometimes create something ten times better than he ever could with complete artistic freedom. But even as this partnership flourishes into something wonderful, the specter of the outside world threatens to destroy it all.

Since University of Laughs is essentially a movie about two guys in a room talking, the success of the film hangs heavily on the performances of its leads, and thankfully, they both deliver in spades. The film boasts a wonderful turn from Yakusho Koji, who is more than worthy of the accolades thrown his way for this film. Smartly, his character is neither written nor performed as a fool, as one might expect in most films in which artists battle against authority figures. Similarly, Sakisaka is not a one-note bad guy, but instead a complicated, yet inherently good human being. He comes to respect and even like Tsubaki, but must battle against his own loyalties and personal hang-ups to successfully maintain this wholly unexpected friendship.

Of course, the underlying social issues that are central to this movie cannot be ignored, nor should they be. The film seems eerily timely, as the idea of a government stamping out freedom of expression in the name of wartime concerns will register with many viewers across the globe. This social commentary informs the emotional journey that happens right underneath our noses. The burgeoning friendship between Sakisaka and Tsubaki climaxes in the film's poignant final scene. Here the reality of war, which until then had only been something that existed outside the walls of their meetings, hits frighteningly close to home. Although most audiences don't go to see a comedy to be moved, University of Laughs works as a great exception to this rule. To borrow the censor's terminology: University of Laughs is approved, no edits necessary.

By Calvin McMillin - LoveHKFilm.com