The story's simple enough. Two men, both called Takeshi, live in Tokyo. One is a well-known actor and one is an actor-wannabe who works in a convenience store. The two Takeshis are being played by the director of the movie Takeshi Kitano. It may sound a bit like "Being John Malcovich" but goes far beyond that.

Sure, the movie isn't for everyone but it's definitely interesting and at parts very visual and imaginative. It's without any doubt the most extreme Meta-movie I ever seen.

When a movie has many layers you usually describe it as a "deep" movie. Takeshis has an enormous amount of layers but most of them are paper thin, if not shallow. In the beginning you try to keep track of whether you're watching a dream or one of the two Takeshis reality. It turns out to be a futile task, especially after one caterpillar-scene too many (You'll know it when you see it).

Do remember that this is not "Memento". It's not really meant to make sense. OK, I've always been allergic to the popular urge to over-explain everything in movies but Takeshis might be a bit too far in the other extreme. A heady cocktail of randomness and logical short circuits but not more than most people experience under a good nights sleep, which is what this movie is all about. Dreams and dreams within dreams.

Please, watch Takeshis with an open mind. You either regard it as an aged directors milestone after a long and creative odyssey of ups and downs, much like Fellinis "8 ½", or you can look at it as an overstressed actors brain fart after too many crazy TV-shows and gangster movies.

It's a bumpy ride, it may be a bit too long, weird and garish but you might have a few laughs and at least you have something to talk about afterward. A bit like a theme-park then, isn't it?

The big star of the Japanese gangster movies Takeshi Kitano takes a break to make a very different film, half fantasy, half dark comedy making fun of ... himself and of the Japanese cinema system, American films influence, and the film fans culture of fascination with their stars. Takeshi dominates the movie in the double role of himself, the famous actor and himself, the failed clown he could have become if his life hah taken a different turn. There are several layers this film can be read, but at its core are the about 30 minutes of surrealist dreams in which the failed actor fixes his life on an alternate violent and grotesque style. This is where the film fails, as Kitano the director is neither Fellini or Kurosawa, nor a David Lynch with enough imagination for his dream world to represent a true screen alternative to the real (?) life of his screen star alter ego. The film is a nice try, and Kitano aficionados will certainly love all its nuances and connections to the actor's career, but it does not stand strong enough as an original creation.

Auto derision is an art which has not been able to find favors with many nationalities.There are people who know that Italian people are famous for mocking themselves.It is rather strange that not much is known of Japanese people and the manner in which they like to ridicule themselves.Takeshis is a brilliant film in which we can see sensei Kitano Takeshi settling scores with himself.This is his manner of making fun of himself.He plays with perfection two of his most memorable roles.On the one hand there is a superstar who is always surrounded by cinema people.On the other hand there is a clown whose company consists of some losers who are trying to make it big in their lives.Japanese director Kitano Takeshi must be congratulated for making a nice Japanese film which mocks cinema business.It is for this film that Takeshi Kitano has given yet another outstanding performance. He shows us well as to what extent Hollywood has influenced ordinary people all over the world.We are shown how ordinary Japanase people talk with ease about icons of American film culture like Humphery Bogart,Vivien Leigh,Gone with the wind and Roman Holiday.Takeshis is a film full of comic violence which would create more ripples of laughter then long hours of silence after a film is over.Why should one watch Takeshis ? It is simple to state that it is an excellent film within film.The best thing about this film is that it shows us that currently cinema business is run by people who do not value cinema.This is one of the worst injuries heaped on the inimitable art of cinema.