The charismatic conmen of “Great Pretender” are back (well, kind of…). Hiro Kaburagi returns to direct alongside original animators Wit Studio in “Great Pretender razbliuto”, a film continuation of the original series' cryptic post-credits reveal.
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Following on from the shocking revelation that the love of Laurent Thierry's life – Dorothy – is alive, the film follows the amnesiac as she lives her life ignorant of her past as a con artist. However, it appears that the world of scams and heists is never too far away as the protagonist is unwittingly dragged back into this world after thwarting a con being played on her elderly adopted mother in Taipei.
Not far behind this first con artist is another as Dorothy herself is scammed and seduced by underworld figure Jei. This tryst unfortunately exposes her to the very people who shot her and left her for dead all those years ago. On the run and still clueless as to her previous life, she finds herself in situations that seems all too familiar yet bring forth no answers. As the crime syndicate looking for her begins to implode from the inside out, our memoryless main character simply strives to survive.
Razbliuto – the film's subtitle – refers to the feelings you once held for someone but no longer do and this is at the heart of the film's themes. At first, this phrase appears to be in reference to Dorothy's feelings towards Laurent which she now no longer feels due to her lack of memories. However, this goes deeper as the narrative progresses. Jei and Ai, a con artist and an underworld boss started together and formed a brotherly bond that dissolved as the years passed and Jei's success contrasted with Ai's failures. A contentious relationship that was built on love and slowly eroded over time by envy is, however, not unsalvageable. Much like the series' portrayal of forgiveness and the ability to move on, the film highlights these relationships and plays on familial bonds that tie together outcasts. Whilst not as successful or impactful as its previous depiction, it is an admirable attempt that hits more than it misses.
Central to the success of this story is Yuka Komatsu's performance as Dorothy. Her bright, cheerful and – at times – snarky demeanor imbues the protagonist with an intensely likeable energy. As Dorothy, unfortunately, becomes sidelined in favour of the crime syndicate storyline, it is through Komatsu's absence that the film suffers the most; her acting is the string keeping everything together. Not to be forgotten, Yasuhiro Mamiya's Ai acts as a great comedic foil to Komatsu and their dynamic is amplified by both actors' comedic timings that appear in harmony with one another.
As ever, Wit Studio's animation is breathtakingly beautiful. Carrying on the series' art style, Yusuke Takeda and Yumiko Sudou craft a litany of vibrant cel-shaded backdrops that punctuate the jazz-like atmosphere that permeates through the “Great Pretender” franchise. Entirely stylistic in its approach, the pair create an aesthetic that feels reflective of its characters; atypical, leisurely and entirely unpredictable. Hirotaka Kato's character designs are again easily recognizable as part of the franchise's overarching style. Simplistic designs that can be easily manipulated to maximize their full potential to react in whatever improbable situation they find themselves in. Crime boss Uncle is perhaps the best example of this. A stretched amphibious face with bug eyes whose slimy qualities radiate every time they appear on-screen. These intricacies and details create a visual language that is easy to understand and extremely entertaining.
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Having the film follow-up to your heist show feature (mostly) entirely new characters and have few heist elements was always going to be difficult and “Great Pretender razbliuto” struggles to overcome this. Its animation and score are a match made in heaven as the series' sensibilities easily carry over into a feature-film format but otherwise, it feels weak. Minus Dorothy – a semi-returning character – the new set of con artists and thieves struggle to make the same impact as the previous crew. Cameo appearances from several of the old gang only set to further this divide and ultimately leave the film feeling rather hollow. Our luminescent protagonist can only light up so much of a charming but dull effort in the “Great Pretender” franchise.
