Shota Matsuda's performance in Hard Romanticker continues to impress film critics worldwide. The latest buzz for Matsuda's work in this Gu Su-yeon's film is from Twitch.

As part of the blog's Japan Cuts 2012 Preview, Peter Gutierrez said:

You'll certainly be forgiven for experiencing any symptoms of aesthetic déjà vu while watching Gu Su-yeon's flamboyant slice-of-crime opus: with the sound and fury of '70s-era Kinji Fukasaku fight scenes, the overall coolness of Seijun Suzuki, and the off-handed (and borderline absurd) brutality of Takashi Miike's gangster flicks, Hard Romantciker is clearly a treat for a particular brand of cinephile. That said, writer-director Gu does come across as his own artist, not a copycat auteur and, frankly, he's too busy telling a personal story to care much about what cinephiles think. Indeed, even the film's beginning makes few concessions to the audience, opening with a flashforward which is hard to recognize as such and then introducing several characters and relationships in rapid-fire succession before settling down with our point-of-view character. [ read more ]

Shota has done some amazing performances throughout his career, but his role in this movie, is the one that really showcase his talent. It's not an easy role to play nor will it impress most of his fanbase, but it says one thing - Shota wants to prove he's an actor!

More after the jump!

David Hudson @Fandor adds:

For sheer sick kicks, my vote goes to Hard Romanticker, with Shota Matsuda as a badass zainichi (Japanese-born, but of Korean ancestry), whose criminal adventures in a port city parallel gangland rampages, punk rock body counts and the occasional glue-huffing bacchanal." [ read more ]

More about the Movie: Gu (Shota Matsuda) is a hard-nosed Korean-Japanese hoodlum living in Shimonoseki, Japan. When friends "accidentally" kill the grandmother of a ruthless North Korean-Japanese thug, a whirlwind of violence and revenge is set to explode. In the process, Gu, having no fear, pisses off a string of other criminal gang members and Korean-Japanese thugs who all want him dead. There's also Detective Fujita (Atsuro Watabe) lingering in the shadows looking for Gu, but where is Gu?

Meanwhile, Gu lucks his way into a managerial job for a hostess club, run by a suave man named Takagi (Shido Nakamura). Instincts tells Gu that Takagi is more than he seems. In fact, Takagi works for a rival gang and may be involved with drugs. When Gu returns to Shimonoseki all hell is about to break loose.

Are you a fan of Shota Matsuda? Have you seen this movie? Let us know what you think!

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