Takeshi Kitano wrote and directed Hana-bi, also known as Fireworks, with Kitano himself in the leading role alongside Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Osugi, and Susumu Terajima. The score is by Joe Hisaishi, and Hideo Yamamoto handled the cinematography. Yoshikata Nishi (Kitano) is a police detective who resigns from his job after a terrible event leaves his partner, Horibe (Osugi), paralyzed. This allows him more time to care for his seriously ill wife, Miyuki (Kishimoto). However, he’s unable to find any peace because he owes money to the Yakuza to cover her medical expenses, and they're getting impatient for repayment. Early on in Kitano’s excellent film, there’s graffiti on a wall that reads "Drop Dead," accompanied by music from Hisaishi. It creates an unsettling atmosphere, foreshadowing what’s coming. The movie moves at a measured pace, deliberately so, and the unconventional opening sequence with its jumps in time contributes to a kind of psychological turmoil surrounding the unfolding story. It wouldn't be accurate to portray it as consistently depressing, because Kitano—drawing on his own experiences with mental distress—has a remarkable ability to find poetic beauty and moments of human warmth that contrast with sudden bursts of violence and emotionally devastating scenes. This combination is incredibly effective, and touches of humor appear throughout the film. Nishi is an overwhelming personality, full of contradictions; a man who seems stoic behind his sunglasses, yet communicates volumes through his expressionless face. His outbursts are all the more powerful because dialogue is kept to a minimum, but the distinctive visuals—a hallmark of Kitano’s style—really resonate with the story. The film progresses toward an ending that predictably brings beauty and profound sadness. The straightforward camera work, sharp editing (by Kitano & Yoshinori Oota), mournful musical arrangements, art, kites, and Kitano's intense acting all combine to make this a truly outstanding piece of filmmaking; in fact, it’s a masterpiece. 10/10

Source on TMDB