I already knew that I loved the works of Hiroyuki Tanaka before seeing this movie, but could still rate it unbiased because I didn't know that it was by him until the credits were showed.It is mainly a film telling you much about life, and how it can turn on you. Its messages are very close to reality although most viewers won't experience them the way the protagonist does. But I found it very touching, especially the interesting dream monologue. I like that kind of movies, with their underground shabby feel to them, not trying to always show the greatest action scenes and effects, but letting you really get into the character(s), feel with him, pity him, then hate him, then wanting to help him again, and even think about him and his story for weeks after watching the film.I think Shinichi Tsutsumi did a great job in portraying the character of Yamazaki, the emotions felt very real to me, and he knows how to play that helpless guy. The quiet, uneventful scenes are an important part of the movie to give you time to think, and are well realized, but still a bit too long sometimes, when you can see him walking through the city for over a minute and nothing happens, he just walks. But Sabu did great on the confusing part, never really telling you what's real or going to happen next. But although the moldy look is a part of the movie too, I think the picture quality could have been less miserable at times.Unlucky Monkey is one of the movies you can watch and immediately know that what you see in front of you is a great piece of art, even though you can't really describe why or because of what elements, which is why I won't further try to. You will just have to watch and rate it for yourself. I suggest you look for a DVD of it somewhere. The movie has not been synchronized, only subtitled, but you'll see that this was the only smart thing to do with it.One of the Top Asian Movies there are, if not one of the Top Worldwide.

I find this film fascinating for several reasons.Its the only Sabu film with social conscience,for one.Then,its the film where the human is shown from the darkest point of view,without the unnecessary violence.There is some violence,but its not graphic nor without reason. The dream scene is one of the deepest and best I have seen and it stuck inside me as well as the ending(and I hope it did with others too).The ending is a bit hard to understand for some.Why does the dead man rise?Why does Tsutsumi's character so desperately try to end his life?Maybe because he has seen more than others and knows that this society is going towards the end.Its disturbing I know and thats why this film is so precious to me.Sabu cared,thats why he made it.This is not just another of his mad stories with weird plots and a sad ending.The ending I don't find really sad and thats another reason why I love it.He found relief.What I found sad and heavy to watch is the scene where he wanders through the filthy streets and knows that he is truly lost.The beginning gives you an insight to why he really is lost.He tried to commit that robbery because it was a chance for him to get a better life.Maybe he wanted to move away from all that.And then found himself stuck right in the middle of it all.Its the last tale of human hell and the desperate road to redemption.Sabu,you really are a master. Shinichi Tsutsumi became my favorite actor after this film.He really is a special talent and a gift to Japan's film industry.I hope he will have a long and fruitful career.Without him,this film wouldn't be what it is,a Dante-ish tour de force.

we are all just unlucky monkeys, bouncing from one strange situation into another. and that´s just what happens in the movie, sabu (monday) takes us on an bizarre tour de force, starting with a bank-robbery... go watch this movie, if possible. i think you won´t be disappointed.

I saw this movie a few days ago, but the memories have already kind of faded. Therefore I guess that it wasn't such a memorable experience as it seemed to be during the time of watching it.The opening sequence, where a bag of money changes hands several times in an elegantly choreographed series of accidents is probably the best scene of the movie in my eyes.After that, it wasn't really clear to me whether I was watching a comedy, a yakuza crime flick or a splatter film.The movie in itself has several parallel storylines that crisscross from time to time, nothing unusual, mixed with the Japanese way of hinting at emotions very blatantly, in itself nothing unusual either, but the constant shifting between comedy, crime, philosophy and gore was a bit too inconsistent for my taste.However, if you like Japanese movies based around the topics Yakuza, Identity-Loss, Action and Slapstick, you might wanna give it a try.6/10