I was looking forward to seeing Kaneshiro Takeshi in an English-speaking role, because I've always wanted to see him in US Movies. Moving away from my initial reason for watching this, I was deceived by the "comedy" label attached to it (much like I was tricked by Spanking the Monkey) and was looking forward to a nice romp when it opened with an old Baghdad myth about Death.The start was slow and I was a little leery about it, until Sorvino showed up after the chase and the film really sped up.I have to say, I didn't like the "German" actress at all, although I was amused at Kenji's reactions to her. I did like the café guy and the Italian friend, but that's because their pretensions make them feel better about themselves, even if they're mostly falsehoods. Other than the German woman, the casting was interesting and very diverse. I bought it because it was New York City. If it had been somewhere else, it would have been more questionable.Of all the characters, I loved Kaneshiro's awkward, rather withdrawn, and just clumsy self. Sorvino was also excellent, though, especially in the dream sequences. Personally, I was curious why she spoke the Chinese (yes, I know she speaks it), but didn't do the Japanese in the dream sequence. (Maybe because she looked awkward in the kimono?) The filming itself was interesting, mostly because it felt jerky, and awkward, much like the main character. It isn't as bad towards the middle and end, and I rather feel it's because it was trying to pick up momentum with the story.The storyline is rather simplistic, but it seems right. Like mentioned elsewhere, Kenji dithers and wastes his time. He asks questions, but doesn't really listen to the answers. He now demands attention and affection, but he doesn't find it until the very end. Overall, the simplicity was all the better for the character and story. Complications were thrown in by showing shots of Death and her Minions' interactions with humans and their discussions about them and their role. I think it was interesting.My other (small) annoyance was that the subtitles were not accurate in the DVD version I had. I mean, it was translating Chinese, Japanese, and French, and it did an adequate job with the Japanese, but somehow butchered the French.Overall, it's not really a comedy, but it's hard to label it a tragedy either. The fleeting aspect of life is highlighted in this film, and how we should appreciate little things. How over thinking things can, in the end, can destroy us. I liked it. It was an interesting ride.

It's about death, this movie, and the struggle to find meaning to one's life, when having only a few hours to do it. Big subjects, indeed, worthy of a great artist - needing one, really. Writer/director Chin doesn't suffice.The film plays with classic themes, related to this topic - such as the chess game with the reaper in Bergman's 'Seventh Seal'. Bergman's knight loses the game, but wins the lives of those he has learned to hold dear. In this movie, nothing is gained, and so one wonders: is anything at all lost?There's an interesting atmosphere in the film, sort of an arty New York setting through an immigrant's eyes, but neither that nor anything else is really followed through. What must be meant to have some profound undercurrent, remains just surface - and a quickly sketched surface, at that. It would have been better to make this film a pure comedy.

I did not like the movie. It was a very promising one but I think it got out of the hands of writer/director. It could well be that writer director wanted to do exactly that, in that case I would say that writer director was not very well seasoned at that time.Maybe the next one come out better than this one. Acting was very good, script very poor. Alas, it could have been a minor classic...

A film with a really interesting premise and obviously some provocative ideas behind it. Unfortunately it goes nowhere from there and particularly towards the end becomes tiresome and violent.The best part of the film is by far the character of Death played by Mira Sorvino.