The basic premise of the film revolves around a young boy, Masao, who was left behind by his mother to be raised by his grandmother. Masao has never met his mother and decides one summer vacation to make the journey. Of course, being a kid he’s a bit too young to try and do the whole trip himself, so a friend of the family “volunteers” to take him. That friend of the family is Takeshi’s character, Kikujiro.
Kikujiro is a washed-out yakuza, wanna-be tough guy, problemed gambler, all-around layabout and a generally poor excuse for a human being. He gambles away the money that Masao was given to make the trip and so ends up having to get them to their destination though a combination of scamming, stealing and playing off the good nature of other people.
Along the course of the journey the pair runs into obstacles and some of the strangest people one might find anywhere, let alone in Japan. A hippy in a van and a pair of effeminate motorcyclists are the main peripheral cast, though others pop up along the way.
The movie is a heartwarming look at the tough guy trying to do what’s right for the kid but unable to get past his own weaknesses. Kikujiro takes quite a bit of abuse along the road, but still managed to keep his promise.
What really makes Kikujiro unique is not the plot, but the strange and erratic scenes throughout the film. Those without a thorough knowledge of Japanese culture might find themselves scratching their heads more than once. In the end though, it’s all worth it. I’ve re-watched this film a dozen times and every time has been an enjoyable experience. Highly recommended for those that want a light-hearted laugh or two with a moving story at the core.