Sometime ago I was on a Nishikido Ryo kick so naturally I placed this on my to watch list. It sounded like a good show but months past and I was never in the mood to watch something so Melodramatic. Until I read a review that said "Surprisingly Funny". I turned on the first episode to see if this person was pulling my leg and I was completely surprised.



The prevailing mood is hilarious as the siblings spend their time swindling people of their money. And even though these siblings have such a heavy past hanging over them their banter with each other is fast, upbeat, and hilarious. Nevertheless the story doesn't seem silly but has depth because of the serious and sad moments when the three remember their parents and the pain over their loss.



So it's not a lie, this drama is surprisingly funny. And cleaver camera work too, you can be watching one scene and suddenly realize in the background there's a continuation of another scene going on at the same time. Brilliant!



"I would recommend it to everyone who likes stories which leave you with a laughing and a weeping eye.." - and I second that.



(Lingering thought: Nino as Ryo's older brother was a bit hard to swallow at first but that's just getting nit-picky on my part)

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It may seem like I gave this one a low review number but the fact is I really enjoyed this show. I started to watch it because the story sounded interesting. Than I recognized the main guy from the ever so popular part of Jeremy(YaB). So I watched it.



It wasn't extremely well done or flashy or a "you must watch this" kind of film. In fact I was hesitant because someone had suggested it looked like the young guy falls for older woman scenario. But that wasn't it at all.



It was simple, sweet, and about a woman trying to live the principles she was struggling to teach her daughter. In fact from the the male character's point of view I would describe this film as 'appreciate your mother because you don't know how long your going to have her' or as a 'your lucky to have a mother - if your not going to appreciate her than I'll take her'.



I loved how the story unfolded. I truly could feel him slowly growing attached to her - as a son, with every moment she spent with his family. You could feel how much he needed her influence in his life and than suddenly you saw him have an influence on hers. "Break down the door," he said and I cheered (because I completely agreed with him).



It is an all around a good story. Easy to watch. Easy to enjoy. And something I will watch again when I am in the mood for something slow pace.



Hope that helps.

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Still going through my N. Ryo phase so naturally I came across Joker. And all through the show the word Amazing seemed to fit just right. The storyline, the flow...the characters...the detectives...the mourning relatives...the actual BRUTALITY of the crime...It was all very well done.



Right off the bat I was enticed by the disclaimer,



"This drama is fictional. All resemblances to actual people, places or events are purely coincidental. Or you may choose to take this as purely a made up story or try to grasp an understanding of the darkness these days."



A simple but perfect set up for how brutal each episode is, not just the individual crimes but the overlaying story. Most drama's make a scene just brutal in its initial appearance. In Joker, where the first look at the murder victims might not be all that horrible, as they are carefully investigated you develop a deeper conviction that what they get - even though its not legal - is what they deserve. (Sort of brings out the worst in all of us, maybe.)



The cast is amazing. There's humor that fits in well with each characters lives, there's drama, and realistically dark content. If your not a seasoned murder detective drama watcher, you might get a little queasy. So be careful.



Finally I would like to make a point to say that, where this drama isn't unpredictable it does a great job at making you want to contradict your initial theories. Towards the end you will know what's coming BUT you will constantly try to talk yourself out of it.



So..."You want murder, destruction and revenge all tied in with remarkable characters and the barest traces of humor? Well, by golly, you've found your drama.. "

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