A Ronin At City Hall
By Steve Herte
47
Ronin (Universal, 2013) – Director: Carl
Rinsch. Writers: Chris Morgan (s/p & story), Hossein Amini (s/p),
Walter Hamada (story). Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ko
Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano, Min Tanaka, Jin Akinishi, Cary-Hiroyuki
Tagawa, & Rinko Kikuchi. Color, 119 minutes.
This
action/adventure/fantasy film begins with a view of Earth from space.
The globe turns until the islands of Japan are in full view. The
voice-over introduces “Feudal Japan” and gives a small background
as to the conditions in this brutal period with a strict code of
honor and a caste system equally as unfair as it is adhered to. We
see a band of Samurai of Ako hunting down a fantastic beast that has
been terrorizing their people. It is easily twice as large as the
largest bull (and indeed its shape is mostly comparable to a bull)
with an excessively long, whip-like tail, which it uses to deadly
effect. Its head has an elongated snout filled with teeth, bull-like
horns facing forward, branch-like antlers sprouting up on both sides,
and six to eight fierce yellow eyes. Among the hunters is the
half-breed Kai (Reeves) whose martial skills and hunting prowess are
both obvious to the audience but are both ignored and denied by the
Samurai because of his social status. Even when he succeeds in
killing the beast he lets another take credit.
Back
in Ako, the Daimyo, Lord Asano (Tanaka) is preparing for a great
tournament of the Samurai from various regions celebrating a visit
from his lord, Shogun Tsunayoshi (Tagawa) – a ruthless leader and
not easily pleased. Asano’s beautiful daughter Mika (Shibasaki)
however is eagerly awaiting the return of the man she loves (and
shouldn’t, because she can never have him), Kai. The delegations
arrive from the neighboring lands but Lord Kira (Asano) stands out.
He has designs on taking over Ako by disgracing Lord Asano and he has
a witch (Kikuchi) to help him do it. Kai has seen her in the form of
a grinning white fox with two different colored eyes while on the
hunt and tries to warn Ôishi (Sanada), leader of the Samurai but he
will not believe him.
The
day of the tournament dawns and the witch disables Ako’s champion
with her spells. When Kai takes his place and is discovered, Lord
Asano is disgraced. The Shogun (mercifully?) decrees that he deserves
a Samurai’s death (a ritual self-killing) to die with honor. All
Ako’s Samurais are declared Ronin because they failed their lord
and are exiled. Mika is given a year to mourn her father, at the end
of which time she will be Lord Kira’s wife, Kai is beaten senseless
with clubs and Ôishi is thrown into a pit to “break his spirit.”
(Did I mention it was a brutal time?)
Kai
escapes and becomes a fighter in an entertainment venue (much like a
cock-fighting ring). Ôishi finds and rescues him and together they
and the 45 Samurai (now Ronin) vow to avenge their lord, even though
the very act itself is punishable by death. But they need swords. Kai
takes them to the haunted Tengu forest where he was raised. Swirly,
misty ghostie thingees surround them as they journey to a cave. Only
Kai and Ôishi enter. Kai advises Ôishi that, no matter what he
sees, he must not draw his sword. It’s pretty touch and go for a
while but he remains true and the men get the finest swords.
The
plot is hatched, Ôishi beheads Lord Kira, his Samurai defeat Kira’s
and, after a long scene, Kai defeats the witch (now changed into a
ferocious white dragon) using the magic he learned growing up. (Happy
ending, no? No! This is feudal Japan). The mirthless Shogun decrees
that all the Ronin – with the exception of Ôishi’s son –
deserve the Samurai’s death and all, including Kai, obey.
In
the Shakespearean sense this movie is neither a Tragedy nor a Comedy.
There is no happiness in it at all. Only human automatons following a
cruel code of honor and mindlessly mistreating a man whose only sin
was being born (although it is a real stretch to believe Keanu as a
half-breed). The parts are played as if Japanese acting has not
evolved since Godzilla. The only character who acted convincingly was
the witch – who was quite sensual. No acting nominations here.
Maybe Special Effects or Costumes, but not acting. 47 Ronin
was an interesting, if exaggerated, window into a colorful but
inhumane period of Japanese history. Rating: 3 out of 5 Martini
glasses.
City
Hall
131
Duane Street (West Broadway), New York
One
of only two restaurants to impress me every time I visit, this
downtown delight in a landmark 1863 building (once a shoe
corporation) has become an annual event. If I don’t dine at City
Hall sometime in the year, it is always the last restaurant of the
old year. Their outside seasonal décor consists of colorful pastel
spots on the building, multicolor lights on the orange awning, and
purple twinkle lights in the shrubbery lining their outdoor café.
Inside all warm earth tones and smiling faces who greet and serve you
with sincerity and aplomb. The lovely young lady at the Captain’s
Station was almost apologetic at not having a booth for a “regular,”
but knowing that the individual tables are just as comfortable, I was
happy to accept one toward the back of the restaurant (but
centralized). It’s actually the best view, as it faces toward the
front windows.
Service
is job one at City Hall and it shows. Three people attended me (one
for the water, one for the crudités – a platter with pickles,
olives, radishes, raw carrots and celery and one pickled green tomato
– and one for my martini) until eventually it settled down to my
old friend, Dominic. Dominic has been with City Hall as long as I’ve
been going there and he knows what’s good. My martini arrived and I
took my time with the large one-sided menu, the specials list and the
wine list. A young blonde girl told me how good the New Zealand Lamb
Chops appetizer was and that settled that. But I was torn between the
Delmonico steak, the City Hall Surf Meets Turf, and the Monkfish over
Risotto. Dominic proved himself by helping me choose the Monkfish.
Knowing
that this is one of very few restaurants (maybe three I can remember)
to have Renwood Zinfandel by the glass, I didn’t need the wine list
anymore. As I sat awaiting my first course, what to my wondering eyes
should appear but Chef/Proprietor Meer himself with a small bowl of
tonight’s Lentil Soup! We exchanged greetings and pleasantries
until the enticing aroma from the spices in the soup caught my
nostrils in a siren’s lure. A crisp salt stick spanned the bowl’s
mouth and augmented the enjoyment of the dish. This is not your
mother’s lentil soup. It’s not thick, the vegetables and lentils
are clearly visible in the exotic broth but what a flavor!
The
New Zealand Lamb Chops (two) were brought to me leaning on slightly
salty, grilled Escarole. They were tender, juicy, garnished with a
mint chimichurri and bare bones when I finished with them. There was
even a roasted half-tomato gratin on the plate. Martini done,
Zinfandel poured, I was ready for the main course.
Tender
juicy Monkfish on a nest of fragrant, slightly salty Arborio rice
with mushrooms can bring even a big man to his knees. I challenge
Tony’s Di Napoli to make anything close to this. But then again,
this is real Italian food. And . . . I couldn’t even conceive of
getting Curried Onion Rings at Tony’s. Every time I’m at City
Hall I order them. It’s like an addiction. I know I can’t finish
them, but I still enjoy them reheated at home.
One
further advantage City Hall has over Tony’s Di Napoli (and Tony’s
was not to blame for this) was in not having to listen to a
longwinded blowhard from out of town blather on about something so
trivial that I was nearly bored to death. (I was attending a fellow
employee’s retirement party and his speech – like a so-so wine –
was the perfect compliment to the mediocrity of the food that was
served.) Thinking back on it makes me appreciate even more the
combination of flavor, excellence and quietude City Hall is
justly famous for providing.
I
get so sated at City Hall that dessert never makes it out of the
kitchen and this time was no exception. A simple double espresso
later and I was once again completely happy. I’m glad to have made
City Hall a personal tradition.
No comments:
Post a Comment