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Violent Cop

Name: Violent Cop
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Action, Drama
Released: 1989-08-12
Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Maiko Kawakami, Makoto Ashikawa, Shiro Sano, Sei Hiraizumi

1989 | 103 min | Crime, Thriller, Action, Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It earned strong reviews (83% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for crime-drama fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and action fans. If you loved Scarface or New Jack City, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood: Tense, dark and gritty.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 43 min.
What might put you off: It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).

A detective breaks all rules of ethical conduct while investigating a colleague’s involvement in drug pushing and yakuza activities.

How it earned its rating

CriticsStrong
83% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a modest audience
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 25K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Takeshi Kitano

Takeshi KitanoAzuma Ryosuke
Maiko KawakamiAkari Ryosuke
Makoto AshikawaKikuchi
Shiro SanoYoshinari
Sei HiraizumiIwaki
Mikiko OtonashiIwaki's Wife
HakuryuKiyohiro
Ittoku KishibeNito
Ken YoshizawaShinkai
Nobuyuki KatsubeDeputy Police Chief Higuchi