PodBill Just what I expected

Limerculer A waste of 90 minutes of my life

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

MartinHafer If you did an experiment and had three or four different authors write a film--each writing a portion and then piecing them together--this is what "Waga Jinsei No Toki" ("The Most Terrible Time in My Life") looks like. And, I would add, it's as if the different authors really didn't read each others work before they began writing and only had a a very general idea what the film was about in the first place. It's a shame, really, as PARTS of the film are very good...and other parts really don't seem to fit.The first portion of the film had a lot of promise--and I was thrilled to watch. A guy named 'Miku Hama' (in other words, a Japanese bastardization of 'Mike Hammer'--the Mickey Spillane character) is a Japanese private eye whose office is above a movie theater. To get to see Mike, they make you pay admission to the theater. And, Mike drives a cool little Nash Metropolitan--one of the quirkiest cars ever made. So, naturally I assumed it was a comedy--a comedy with film noir overtones (with its retro black & white cinematography and look). Even when Mike meets and tries to help a Taiwanese man, the film, though dark, seemed like a comedy. In a nod, perhaps to "Chinatown", Mike's finger is sliced off trying to help the guy.Unfortunately, Mike eventually became more of a secondary character and his new Chinese friend became more the subject of the film. And, the friend's desire to track down his long-lost brother took a very, very dark turn. Instead of comedy, the film became quite bloody and a bit nihilistic. A bit like film noir, perhaps, but with a much more negative and nasty edge.I'd say that for the most part, watching this movie was a very frustrating experience. Parts were wonderful but the overall film didn't add up to a likable whole. Surprisingly, the film spawned a pair of sequels--one of which is shown, in part, at the end of this film. Also, the old-time Japanese noir actor Jô Shishido (who had facial implants to make himself look more like a chipmunk) makes a totally random appearance in the film--and it seemed like they had no idea what to do with him. It's a shame, really, as Shishido's films appear to have strongly influenced these film makers and I wanted to see more of him.

Justin1983 The Most Terrible Time In My Life is quite simply a real oddity of a film. The film is a hodgepodge of influences (namely Seijun Suzuki and Mickey Spillane), genres (Japanese '60s B-movies, film-noir, and comedy), and ideas. Really, the film should feel like a mess as it shifts on the drop of a dime from trying to appear like a serious noir to being a wacky comedy, but surprisingly it all manages to work.Kaizo Hayashi, the director, even gets to work in his heavy influence from Seijun Suzuki without it feeling derivative (that right there, you have to admit, is a feat worthy of notice!). It is strange to watch a Japanese movie from 1994 that simultaneously feels like it is a mid-'90s Japanese film and an early '60s B-movie shot by Suzuki on one of his much less abstract and experimental endeavors.But see, right there is one of the most charming and endearing characteristics of The Most Terrible Time In My Life; that the film feels old and new, original and old-hat, that it acts serious and then suddenly goofy and then back to being serious, that it can be hip and carefree and then gritty and a downer and back again--and all of this throughout the film somehow works.This film is incredibly entertaining and interesting, and immensely enjoyable (plus the cameo by Jo Shishido *AS* Jo Shishido, who seemingly is not an actor in the world of the movie but instead the long-standing P.I. mentor to the protagonist, is mind blowing to anyone who is a fan of "Cheek's" films or his work with Suzuki). If you can get a hold of this film, you really should, it is well worth your time if you have any interest in film noir/neo-noir, Mike Hammer, Seijun Suzuki, or left-field Japanese cinema.

RabbitFighter This film instantly became one of my favorite movies after watching it. Starring Masatoshi Nagase, who first came to the notice of American audiences after appearing in Jim Jarmusch's "Mystery Train" (1990), this serial styled private eye film just oozes with creativity and dark humour. It's got everything I look for in cult films: ultra-violence, weird cult gangs, great style and a downbeat plot. Some folks will undoubtedly be confused by this movie, especially those who lack interest in cult cinema or those who are not used to the pacing of Japanese films. What can I say, this is not going to be for everybody, but to those who really get it, and you will know who you are, this movie is a classic waiting to happen.

johnt-8 Well, that might be saying much, but this movie was not only slow and predictable, it ended as "TO BE CONTINUED". The wasn't any resolution. They filming style reminded me of a TV show. The characters are paper thin. The only really redeeming quality is a guest scene with Jo Shishido. If you like your detective films white washed and boiled so long they have no more flavor, then give this one a shot.The hero isn't interesting. His motivation (getting his teenage sister through college) is boring. The bad guys look like they came off of a Jackie Chan in Australia set. They aren't scary.... I will NOT be continuing the series any time soon.