Following the murder of a biracial man from New York City in Tokyo, a Japanese detective goes to the US and teams up with an American detective reluctantly to get to the killer of the Tokyo victim.
Available on physical media from Arrow Video on 09/09/2025
Written by Zenzô Matsuyama based on the novel Seiichi Morimura and directed by Jun’ya Satô, Proof of the Man is a crime drama that moves from one major city to another, from one culture to another, and one that makes strong points in its story but waits until the end to really let the main information out and show what the point here is. There are a few hints here and there, but even this regular guesser-of-ending did not see some of it coming until the last third. The writing here is old school but works well and the direction goes along with it. There is a lot here and the film makes the most of it in general.
The cast here is interesting in that it brings casts from Japan and the US together as the film takes place in both locations. The Japanese lead Yûsaku Matsuda is center of the film for most of the first half to two thirds, giving a solid performance of a man who is looking for answers and has a few demons. His performance is determined and calculated, making him a solid base for the cast to work around. Joining him as the American detective is George Kennedy who gives a more in your face performance, balancing out his counterpart’s work. His performance carries the film through the ending and makes for a more complex story. The rest of the cast is decent as well, a few performances feel a bit dated in style, but it is a film that is pushing 50, so it’s expected.
The cinematography by Shinsaku Himeda is gives the film the right gritty look and that special 1970s hue that called back memories of so many films and tv shows. The look of the film feels right here, and it makes sense for the story and the crime at hand as well as the ending. The editing by Jun Nabeshima works well here and reminds the audience that a longer, more lingering shot can give a film a particular feeling as opposed to constant, quick edits. There is something about how some of the scenes linger just a touch longer than comfort would agree to, something that adds to the film’s effect on audiences.
Generally speaking, Proof of the Man is an excellent film that has some dated aspect due to obvious aging, but it has elements here that are evergreen and these make for a solid watch in the realm of crime dramas. This new release has a bunch of extras here which have different levels of interest for this viewer. The best of the bunch are the new audio commentary by Rob Buscher and DJ Skeme Richards and the new discussion about Japanese Blockbusters with Tatsuya Sato and Masaaki Nomura. The writing in the booklet should appeal to many as it features work by Michelle Kisner and Alexandra Zahiten. The presentation here is on point as usual from Arrow Video with a solid transfer, good sound, and newly translated subtitles.