Usogui (which means the Lie Eater) is a Japanese movie based on Toshio Sako’s manga of the same name. Now available on Netflix, it is directed by Hideo Nakata, and the screenplay is by Tetsuya Oishi. The movie stars Ryûsei Yokohama as Baku Madarame, Hayato Sano as Takaomi Kaji, Shôhei Miura as Ikki Sadakuni, Mai Shiraishi as Ranko Kurama, Kaito Sakurai as Soichi Kiruma, and Hiroaki Murakami as Hikoichi Yako. The runtime is almost 2 hours.
The synopsis reads, “A brilliant gambler goes up against the most diabolical swindlers dominating the country in a fight to win control of a powerful secret organization.”
Usogui Movie Review Contains Mild Spoilers
In the Japanese movie Usogui, we meet Baku Madarame, who is called the Lie Eater. Madarame is a sharp and smart gambler who always succeeds in defeating every known gambler around. Initially, he was a member of the Club Kakerou, an illegal gambling gang. When Baku’s thrown out of Karerou club, he doesn’t have a good reputation around.
Despite not being a part of one of the top gambling dens, Baku Madarame doesn’t stop gambling around. He grabs the club and other dangerous gamblers’ attention. He’s known for his skills of eating the lies the opponent tells/shows during the game. Hence, many address him as the Lie Eater.
Usogui movie starts with Baku Madarame challenging Royal Leader Soichi Kiruma in a bet. Baku loses the bet because Soichi’s team cheats. The Royal Leader’s man attacks Baku, but doesn’t kill him. Instead, he’s thrown out of Club Kakerou. The narrative then shifts to Baku Madarame, his gambling skills, his new friend in Tokyo and how he ends up competing against a deadly, wealthy gambler.
The 2-hour gambling thriller is not always exciting. A lot of new characters are added up after Baku befriends Kaji. We are not given a clear idea of who they are and why don’t they like Baku. Another intriguing character in the movie is Ikki Sadakuni, played by Shôhei Miura. He has a threatening aura, but even his backstory comes up in the end. Despite being a long movie, his story is rushed. Usogui is only fun to watch when there is a gambling match happening.
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Hideo Nakata and Tetsuya Oishi have shown that Baku Madarame is a chill, witty, and clever gambler with a caring side (towards friends). Baku is aware of his skills and flaunts them at every instance. He’s a likeable character, and the credit goes to Ryûsei Yokohama for his incredible performance.
Shôhei Miura, as Ikki Sadakuni, has also done a good job. Considering Sadakuni is the main bad guy that Baku has to gamble with in the end, I wish we were shown more about him.
Usogui Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Usogui (2022) on Netflix has only a few thrilling gambling moments. The length of the movie and weak screenplay fails to keep one hooked till the end. However, the face-off during the climax leaves you on the edge of your seat. So after watching the first 30 minutes, it’s best to skip to the last 20 minutes.
The movie is now streaming on Netflix.
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