Ping Pong (2002)

A sports movie is a sports movie is a sports movie, but every once in a while, one comes along that transcends the genre. Fumihiko Sori's phenomenally stylish debut film, Ping Pong, is helped along by the novelty of its subject; there's never been a narrative feature film about competitive ping pong. But with its complex, likeable characters and innovatively slick visual style, the film transcends mere novelty interest. Japanese heartthrob Yôsuke Kubozuka, who plays the grandstanding Peco is an imminently graceful and likeable comedic actor, and together with Arata, in a far less showy role as Peco's taciturn best friend, Smile, the leads convincingly portray the positive and negative nuances of a longtime friendship. The supporting cast, given meaty roles by screenwriter Kankurô Kudô (adapting a popular manga), also excels. None of these characters look near young enough to be in high school, but that's forgivable. Despite the film's flashy visuals, there's a lot more emotional weight to Ping Pong than there is to your typical uplifting sports movie. While the film sticks to the formula to a great extent, there's enough specific detail to these characters and this sport to produce plenty of drama. But the flashy visuals are still a major selling point. Sori films the action, both on and off the table, with tremendous panache. Matches can be captured in a single shot, but are sometimes drawn out, as the ball is slowed down and the players' private obsessions come to the fore. Utilizing CGI to capture the intense speed of the game and the mindset of the each player, the director brings welcome new interest to a tired genre. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide