Joseph Gordon Levitt is the half-Japanese son of an aging Yakuza boss.
The film opens in Tokyo. An assassin takes someone out. It is unclear who the assassin is.
Cut to JGL in America. He runs one of his father's legit companies. Seems like a normal enough guy. He gets a call. It's time to come back to Japan. It was his half-brother (big shot in the Yakuza clan) who was assassinated.
JGL returns to Japan. We discover that he grew up there -- he is fluent in Japanese. His mother was one of the American girls brought over to work in one of his fathers sex joints. In a super cool reveal, we see JGL back in his Tokyo apartment. He takes off his suit and shirt and we see his FULL BODY TATTOO.
JGL's family is being assassinated one by one. His father doesn't know who is doing it. JGL and his half-brothers must HUNT THE ASSASSINS while being HUNTED THEMSELVES.
Alegiances are unclear. The brothers are all in competition to take over from their father. The father doesn't want to give up his position and has been undergoing surgery to unnaturally extend his life. The family's new gig -- human organs.
In the end, one of his brothers turned out to be involved with the assassins, and JGL's father is pretty diabolical (we'll work in him doing something bad to JGL's american family, or some backstory with JGL's mother).
JGL ends up on top, for himself and nobody else. One for one, and one for all.
Yakuza meets EASTERN PROMISES meets HISTORY OF VIOLENCE...
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
ANOTHER interesting story approach...
Our hero is half japanese. He is the bastard son to japan's biggest mob boss. He was conceived in america while his father was on a business trip at the four seasons. At the time his mother was a hostess at the hotel restaurant.
He's never met the japanese side of his family but has always been eager to. One day, our hero gets word that his father is on his last legs....he decides it is his duty to meet the man before he passes away...
The story could begin with him on the airplane or already in japan?
His father is old, very weathly, very powerful- in a wheel chair yet still in control of his booming business.
Our hero realizes he has two older brothers, both full japanese. They are both VERY competitive, and very ruthless- both want take over their father's position..They don't view our hero as a threat because he is half japanese.
These brothers introduce our hero to the culture- women, money, power, drugs, and tradition. The longer he hangs out with them the more he falls in love with the city. He gets his first tattooo, etc.
But this is a scary and turbulent time for our family. The rival "yamato" clan knows the head yakuza is dying and has used this as an opportunity to strike while they have been structurally weak. For months, they have been hunted down, family members have been getting picked off one by one .
EVENTUALLY One of the brothers gets assassinated in a gun fight in an arcade. We reveal that this son, was who the father wanted to take his place as boss.
EVENTUALLY, the father dies and the remaining brother is crowned head mob boss. He appoints our hero as his right hand man. our hero vows revenge against the rival family that killed his brother.
As the story goes along, maybe he kills his brother? maybe our guy ends up taking control in the end? maybe it was someone in his own family who orchestrated the killings??? maybe even the father??? if we could figure out a good rationale???
He's never met the japanese side of his family but has always been eager to. One day, our hero gets word that his father is on his last legs....he decides it is his duty to meet the man before he passes away...
The story could begin with him on the airplane or already in japan?
His father is old, very weathly, very powerful- in a wheel chair yet still in control of his booming business.
Our hero realizes he has two older brothers, both full japanese. They are both VERY competitive, and very ruthless- both want take over their father's position..They don't view our hero as a threat because he is half japanese.
These brothers introduce our hero to the culture- women, money, power, drugs, and tradition. The longer he hangs out with them the more he falls in love with the city. He gets his first tattooo, etc.
But this is a scary and turbulent time for our family. The rival "yamato" clan knows the head yakuza is dying and has used this as an opportunity to strike while they have been structurally weak. For months, they have been hunted down, family members have been getting picked off one by one .
EVENTUALLY One of the brothers gets assassinated in a gun fight in an arcade. We reveal that this son, was who the father wanted to take his place as boss.
EVENTUALLY, the father dies and the remaining brother is crowned head mob boss. He appoints our hero as his right hand man. our hero vows revenge against the rival family that killed his brother.
As the story goes along, maybe he kills his brother? maybe our guy ends up taking control in the end? maybe it was someone in his own family who orchestrated the killings??? maybe even the father??? if we could figure out a good rationale???
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