Over the years I¡¯ve heard many complaints about the bad acting in Japanese films, from the hammy emoting of over-indulged veterans to the amateurish turns of ¡°idols¡± cast more for their agency connections than any perceptible talent. I¡¯ve added to this chorus of negativity, but I¡¯ve also noticed that often the best things in otherwise forgettable movies are the supporting actors who bring a spark of originality, individuality and professionalism to even blink-and-you-miss-them roles.
One such actor is Kanji Furutachi, who shot to nationwide popularity as a wacky eikaiwa (English conversation school) student in a 2007 TV commercial for the Nova language-school chain. He has since worked with such leading indie directors as Koji Fukada, Shuichi Okita, Kenji Yamauchi and Eiji Uchida, while building a thriving career in TV and on stage.
Last year, Furutachi¡¯s explosive performance in Fukada¡¯s ¡°Harmonium¡± (¡°Fuchi ni Tatsu¡°) as a metal shop owner whose marriage and life are destroyed by a former partner in crime won praise, as did the film, which premiered in the Cannes Film Festival¡¯s Un Certain Regard section and appeared on many Top 10 lists for the year, including mine.
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