10/10
A Taxing Delight!
25 April 2004
Warning: Spoilers
=======POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD======

When can tax inspectors make you laugh? In "A Taxing Woman," it is possible. Ryoko is a divorced mother who also works for the Japanese Revenue Service. She, with the freckles and page-boy hair cut, is a workaholic, steadfast and incorruptible in her duties (You can sort of understand why many people evade their taxes while watching this film.). Her one stumbling block is Hideki Gondo, an expert on tax evading. A business man that runs hotels, he uses scams and works with underworld figures, bankers and political figures to keep his money. He's also a fool for love (he has 2 mistresses and a common law wife), and a devoted father. When the 2 meet, it becomes a comedic battle. There's sexual tension between them but the question is: will he be able to keep his money hidden from her? Will she be able to get his money from him? It's a very funny movie, showing the depths that people will sink to hold onto taxable income (one tax evader tried to hide the signature seals in lipstick tubes), and the depths that the tax inspectors will go to catch their man/woman (inspectors digging into HUGE bags of trash to find documents). The late Juzo Itami did an incredible job with this film, working with his usual group of actors, including his wife, Nobuko Miyamoto as Ryoko. Don't worry about the subtitles, because the action on the screen are clear enough to understand.
6 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed