A High-Stakes Gamble With No Easy Escape

Read Time:6 Minute, 5 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Play It Cool (Denki kurage) [Limited Edition]
–

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Year Released: 1970, Arrow Video Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 34m
Director(s): Yasuzô Masumura
Writer(s): Yoshihiro Ishimatsu, Yasuzô Masumura, Masayuki Tôyama
Cast: Mari Atsumi, Yūsuke Kawazu, Kō Nishimura, Ryoichi Tamagawa, Tomo'o Nagai, Sanae Nakahara, Tomoko Mayama, Akemi Negishi, Yoshihiko Aoyama, Sei Hiraizumi, Gen Kimura
Where To Watch: available now, order here: www.arrowvideo.com,www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Sometimes, the most compelling narratives come from characters forced to navigate impossible circumstances, testing their resilience against a world that offers them little authority. This film is one of those—packed with shifting allegiances, calculated risks, and a protagonist who refuses to let others decide her fate. It’s equal parts noir, social commentary, and psychological drama wrapped in a visually striking package that feels sharp and immersive.

Yumi’s (Mari Atsumi) world is one of limitations. She starts with simple yet deeply personal aspirations—fashion design, financial independence, and a future outside the constraints of her mother’s profession. But the world has other plans. When a violent act alters the course of her life, she is forced into a system that has no interest in her dreams, only in what she can be used for. Yumi refuses to be a passive participant. She learns the game quickly, bending the rules to her advantage while constantly testing the boundaries of power and control.

Yumi’s transformation is fascinating because it never follows a straight line. She’s not simply a victim rising above her circumstances or wholly in control. Instead, she plays a long game, using intelligence and unpredictability to outmaneuver those who underestimate her. Her sharpest tool? A deck of cards. The poker sequences aren’t just about gambling—they’re about power. Men believe they have the upper hand, but Yumi never plays unless she knows she can win. The brilliance of these moments isn’t just in their tension but in how they reframe the dynamic—she isn’t being pursued; she’s deciding who, if anyone, gets to walk away with something.

Beyond the poker table, power plays out in more subtle ways. Yasuzô Masumura’s direction ensures that Yumi is often the subject of discussion but rarely the focal point of the frame. However, when she does take control, it’s deliberate. Whether through deception, strategy, or knowing when to walk away, her choices reflect an understanding that survival isn’t just about endurance—it’s about ensuring no one else writes your story for you.

The tension doesn’t stop at Yumi’s career trajectory. Her relationship with Nozawa (Yûsuke Kawazu,) a former lawyer turned club manager, is laced with unspoken complications. He sees her potential but refuses to act, shackled by obligations and dilemmas. She, in turn, recognizes his value but doesn’t wait for him to dictate her next move. Their interactions are filled with restrained emotion, a push-and-pull dynamic that feels authentic precisely because it refuses to follow conventional expectations. Instead of romance, their connection is built on timing, missed opportunities, and a mutual understanding that, in their world, personal desires often take a backseat to survival.

The film thrives in its use of confined spaces, reinforcing that every decision is made within a world with little room for escape. Masumura plays with angles and compositions to trap characters in their environments, making even quiet conversations like strategic negotiations—the nightclub sequences buzz with uneasy energy, striking a balance between seductive and claustrophobic. The film never lets its setting slip into a romanticized version of nightlife; instead, it feels lived-in, filled with figures constantly scheming or vying for control.

Strong performances elevate the material, particularly in adding depth to characters that could have easily been one-note. Yumi’s evolution is handled with a careful balance of confidence and uncertainty, compelling her not because she always has control but because she knows how to navigate losing it. Tomi (Akemi Negishi), her mother, is given more dimension than the typical hardened matriarch, while Nozawa carries just enough intensity to make his internal conflict believable.

The film’s greatest strength is its refusal to pass judgment. It does not paint Yumi’s choices as right or wrong; instead, it presents them as the only logical responses to a world that limits her options. There’s no moralizing about whether she should have taken a different path, only an honest depiction of what happens when someone is forced to survive on their terms. This refusal to impose a clear-cut narrative makes the film more engaging, inviting the audience to decide what success or failure looks like.

The final moments are haunting in their ambiguity. Unlike many other films that offer a clear conclusion, this one leaves its protagonist at a crossroads, neither defeated nor triumphant. It’s not about redemption or punishment—it’s about what comes next and whether survival can truly be a victory. This kind of story lingers not because it provides closure but because it demands reflection. It doesn’t deal with black-and-white morality or easy character arcs; instead, it thrives in the gray areas, where power is fleeting, and survival means constantly adapting. It’s bold, unrelenting, and, above all, a reminder that sometimes the most gripping narratives are the ones that refuse to follow the script.

Bonus Materials:
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original uncompressed mono audio
Optional English subtitles
Brand new audio commentary with critic and Japanese cinema specialist Jasper Sharp and professor and Japanese literature specialist Anne McKnight
Too Cool for School, a brand new video essay on Play it Cool and the career of writer-director Yasuzō Masumura by Japanese film scholar Mark Roberts
Original theatrical trailer
Image Gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Earl Jackson

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching Overly Honest Reviews.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of ARROW VIDEO, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive free items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl, Books, etc. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices, regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support in navigating these links.