Black Rain
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Black Rain
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Black Rain is a 1980s crime thriller with bloody violence and strong language including racist slurs. Michael Douglas plays U.S. cop Nick Conklin who travels to Japan with fellow detective Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia), where they encounter underworld figures while trying to bring a killer to justice. Conklin is skilled at his job but frequently clashes with his Japanese colleague Masahiro (Ken Takakura) about both their different approaches to their police work and how their respective countries work. There are several bloody deaths as gangsters murder various people. Fights with knives and guns happen on more than one occasion, with characters shown after they've had their throats slit, been shot, and even beheaded. The bloody injury detail is usually brief, though. Language is fairly constant with multiple variations on "f--k" and "s--t" used throughout. There is also one use of racist language toward a Japanese character. Smoking and drinking are occasional, but some drunkenness is depicted and there are references to alcoholism.
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What's the Story?
In BLACK RAIN, New York detectives Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) and Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia) travel to Japan and become embroiled in a war with the Yakuza.
Is It Any Good?
Loosely part of the 1980s genre of odd-couple crime movies, this is an ambitious if cliched attempt to bring together the worlds of American and Japanese policing with some high-stakes shootouts. As Black Rain's antihero cop Nick Conklin, Douglas must battle some predictable tropes (a failed marriage, too much drinking, and allegations of corruption) as well as what turns out to be some formidable foes from the Japanese underworld. Transplanting the bulk of the story to Osaka doesn't create any space for new ideas, sadly, but Garcia puts in an enjoyable performance as Charlie Vincent, Nick's puppyish partner who's along for the ride.
How Conklin "gets results" doesn't leave much to the imagination, either. But director Ridley Scott capably directs the action through two countries where the women are conspicuous by their absence. This dates Black Rain more than anything, meaning it's unlikely anyone who didn't see this 1989 thriller the first time around will be missing much, unless they're Douglas or Scott completists.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Black Rain. What impact did it have? What consequences were there? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Discuss Conklin's approach to his police work. How did his attitude to others change over time? How did working with international colleagues help with this?
Talk about the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 16, 1989
- On DVD or streaming: February 16, 1999
- Cast: Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Ken Takakura
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 125 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- Last updated: January 20, 2023
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