Movie Review: "The Outsider"

Jared Leto stars in "The Outsider," available on Netflix, as a former WWII soldier named Nick who gets involved with the yakuza in 1954 Osaka, Japan. Despite his efforts, Leto's performance feels flat, and the movie ends up being a dull experience.

The Plot

Nick ends up in a Japanese prison with no clear reason why. He saves the life of a yakuza member named Kiyoshi (Tadanobu Asano), who invites him into the gang. Nick quickly adapts to his new life, beating people up and shooting them with ease, becoming a valued member of the Shiramatsu gang. He also falls for Kiyoshi’s sister, Miyo (Shioli Kutsuna).

Lack of Tension

The movie tries to build tension between the Shiramatsu gang and their rivals, the Seizu gang, but it fails. The conflicts over the port of Osaka and radio investments are boring, and the turf war lacks excitement. There are some gruesome scenes, like a finger-chopping ritual, but the action scenes are poorly done and lack impact.

Misplaced Casting

The idea of Jared Leto in a yakuza drama is strange, but that’s not the main issue. The problem is that the movie doesn’t make good use of Nick's background. While he initially seems like a fish out of water, this aspect is not fully explored. The story could have been about any Japanese person unfamiliar with the yakuza, but then it wouldn't be a Jared Leto movie, which seems to be the main goal here.

Character Issues

Nick's character is poorly developed. We get glimpses of his past through a clumsy appearance by Emile Hirsch as another American soldier. Leto’s performance is flat and lacks the grittiness needed for a tough guy in a brutal underworld. His transformation into a skilled yakuza member is unconvincing, as there’s no sense of growth or hard work.

Overall

Even without Leto, "The Outsider" would still be forgettable. The film is filled with anonymous, scowling Japanese men in suits, and the non-Leto performances are one-dimensional. Director Martin Zandvliet fails to create a compelling yakuza story, resulting in a movie that drags through its two-hour runtime. "The Outsider" ends up feeling like a half-hearted yakuza drama that doesn’t deliver on its potential.