"Tokyo Cowboy"Arata Iura has a keen eye on Japan [Actor's Interview Vol.39]

A Japanese businessman who values efficiency above all else reexamines his life on a business trip to Montana, USA... It's a common story with a plot that's been used countless times before, but this movie, "Tokyo Cowboy," is surprisingly interesting. The reason for its success is probably its honest and careful depiction of the growth curve, known as "Arc," which is considered important in the movie. The movie has no complicated storyline or flashy action, but it simply and directly pierces your heart.

And without Arata Iura, who embodied that "Arc" with exquisite nuance, this film would never have been possible. He blends naturally into the setting of Montana, USA, and seeing him stand up to Hollywood actors makes me happy as a fellow Japanese. How did Arata Iura tackle an American film directed by an American director under a Hollywood producer? We spoke to him.

"Tokyo Cowboy" Synopsis

The story is set in Montana, USA, and involves the rebuilding of a struggling ranch. Hideki (Arata Iura), the protagonist, travels to the US with the aim of making this his most important project. He presents his grandiose plan in his usual suit, but Tokyo common sense doesn't work and he quickly hits a dead end. In the midst of a series of problems, he takes off his suit and dresses up in a cowboy outfit, as he believes that when in Rome, do as the Romans do. As he interacts with people who live with nature and animals, he begins to reexamine his own work style, which has always been focused on efficiency.

Index

• Stripping away drama with drama
• Differences between overseas and Japan
• The world is watching Japan closely

Stripping away drama with drama

Q: The story of a person who goes to a different environment and grows is a universal story that has been depicted in many movies. Were there any difficulties in acting?

Iura: Yes. There were no flashy events in this movie. Even if I fall off a horse (laughs), nothing dramatic happens. The director told me, "I don't want you to act, but I want you to actually exist as Hideki in the world of Tokyo Cowboy. I want to see Arata's acting as a flesh-and-blood character." The filming took place about two years ago, when I was 47 years old, but I was asked to go beyond the role and express my inner self, as if I was deliberately stripping away the acting skills I had cultivated in my career up to that point. That doesn't mean I won't act, and I need to properly express the change in Hideki's heart. How do I express the words in the script simply as communication with people and let them seep into the hearts of the viewers? That was the greatest reward.

Also, when I actually filmed in the US, I realized that the scenery in Montana is so dynamic that even if no major events occur, the scenery shown there undoubtedly has a great power. I think that is also the charm of this film.

"Tokyo Cowboy"

Q: In stories like this, Hideki is often portrayed as a self-righteous and unpleasant character, but he is an extremely ordinary and even hard-working man. Yet he changes little by little and surely. That was very realistic. How did you create the character of Hideki?

Iura: Actually, this time, the Japan part at the beginning of the movie was shot later. We shot the Hideki statue born in Montana up to the final scene first, and then shot Hideki before he returned to Japan and changed. So it was like we were working backwards, but it wasn't particularly difficult. I was able to create a good balance, thinking about the character of Hideki, who was born in Montana, and the temperature he had before coming to Montana. I think shooting in Montana first worked to our advantage.

Differences between overseas and Japan