Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- chaotic
- irreverent
- visceral
- late night viewing
- cult movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a highly entertaining, wildly energetic blend of violence, comedy, romance, and pulpy crime.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The night spirals through yakuza schemes, corrupt police, rival criminals, and sudden bursts of comic violence.
A bag of drugs links the yakuza, Chinese gangsters, thieves, and corrupt police in the central chain of events.
Leo and Monica form an emotional bond while fleeing criminal forces and attempting to survive the night.
The plot brings together yakuza factions, Chinese mobs, corrupt officers, and criminals in Tokyo’s Kabukicho nightlife district.
Films like First Love, and why
The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil
stylized yakuza crime, kinetic violence, dark comedy, and unpredictable ensemble chaos
Pulp Fiction
criminal underworld intrigue, irreverent violence, pulpy momentum, and comic tonal shifts
Dead or Alive
Japanese gangster action, eccentric characters, black humor, and heightened criminal mayhem
Wild Romance
romantic undercurrent amid stylized crime violence, absurdity, and emotionally damaged protagonists
Movie Details
- Director
- Takashi Miike
- Release Date
- 2019-05-31
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (346)
Cast
- Masataka Kubota
- Nao Omori
- Shota Sometani
- Sakurako Konishi
- Becky
- Takahiro Miura
- Mami Fujioka
- Yen Cheng-kuo
- Duan Chun-hao
- Maimi Yajima
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, Hi-YAH, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hi-YAH Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is First Love about?
- After a boxer’s shocking defeat, one chaotic Tokyo night becomes a violent, comic rescue mission through yakuza conspiracies and fragile romance.
- What is First Love like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of First Love as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is First Love violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in First Love as graphic.
- What did critics think of First Love?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a highly entertaining, wildly energetic blend of violence, comedy, romance, and pulpy crime.
- Which films are like First Love?
- Films with a similar feel include The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil, Pulp Fiction, Dead or Alive, and Wild Romance.
- How long is First Love?
- First Love runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch First Love?
- In United States, First Love streams on Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, Hi-YAH, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hi-YAH Amazon Channel.
