Sonatine

Sonatine is a relatively somber film about a mid-level Yakuza clan member losing his reason to live after coming to the realization that his life’s entire purpose was confined to the strict context of being in the Yakuza. Self-isolating on the beach, the Yakuza clan begins to lose their self of identity, resorting to pranks and games like sumo and Russian roulette to pass time and bond. Once the clan is all but eliminated, Aniki sees that the camaraderie he once shared is gone, and realizes his life has no use.

He has become nothing, just as he always believed from the beginning. If your sole existence is based on others, you become nothing without them.

The concept that a significant portion of what we consider our identity is not inherent, but is created and maintained by the social environment and the collective agreement of others; in this case, Aniki’s clan. Without the society to recognize and validate these roles, they cease to exist, and the individual’s “self” loses all definition.

Sonatine’s pace is surprisingly a bit slower than expected, and there are some minor adjustments that could’ve been made throughout (musical score could’ve been more impactful, gunfight scenes felt rushed), but the overall themes it delivers of self-identity and the importance of finding meaning within oneself are profound and thought-provoking. Well worth a viewing.