Brother - German Poster (2000)

Brother is a gangster drama by Takeshi Kitano, produced in Japan, the UK, and the US in 2000. The film combines the Japanese yakuza myth with the American gangster milieu in Los Angeles.

The focus is on the yakuza Yamamoto (Takeshi Kitano), who has to leave Japan after the death of his boss. In Los Angeles, he seeks out his younger half-brother Ken, who is involved in small-time drug dealing. With iron discipline, a willingness to use violence, and the code of the yakuza, Yamamoto builds his own syndicate with Ken and his friends. Soon, however, they come into conflict with established drug cartels and the Italian mafia.

Kitano stages the story with his typical blend of laconic humor, sudden violence, and quiet, almost poetic moments. The music by Joe Hisaishi reinforces the film's melancholic atmosphere.

Brother addresses the clash of two cultures, loyalty, and the inevitable downfall in a world where violence has no future.