You are here:

Phone Call to the Bar

Name: Phone Call to the Bar
Director: Hajime Hashimoto
Released: 2011
Duration: 125 min

Representation Score

3.4/10

Limited

2011

Director

Hajime Hashimoto

Runtime

125 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Phone Call to the Bar operates within the well-established boundaries of the crime and noir genres. It prioritizes traditional masculine-led clichés, focusing on the detective archetype rather than exploring diverse social identities. Reflecting the demographic reality of its Japanese setting, the film maintains a culturally homogeneous framework without seeking to challenge cultural norms. It functions as a localized genre piece rather than a vehicle for progressive social commentary. Ultimately, the narrative structure favors genre conventions over disrupting traditional social hierarchies or centering underrepresented perspectives.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Phone Call to the Bar have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not explicitly include non-straight identities. The story revolves around a traditional detective-client relationship in a red-light district setting.

How does Phone Call to the Bar portray gender?

Fair

The male protagonist and his associate hold most of the power in the story. A woman starts the plot but mainly serves as a catalyst for male-driven actions.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Phone Call to the Bar?

Fair

Set in Sapporo, Japan, the cast is mostly East Asian. The film maintains a culturally homogeneous framework without exploring multiple ethnicities.

How does Phone Call to the Bar represent religion and culture?

Fair

The Susukino red light district serves as a backdrop for social fringes. However, the story follows a standard noir framework without offering deeper social critiques.

Does Phone Call to the Bar include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not provide any information about the depiction of physical or neurodivergent characters.

Present on Screen

The film captures the authentic atmosphere of the Susukino red light district.

Limited or Absent

The narrative heavily relies on traditional masculine-led crime clichés.
There is a lack of visible representation for LGBTQ+ identities.
The story lacks multi-ethnic intersections or diverse casting.

Official Synopsis

In the Susukino red light district of Sapporo, a private detective (Yo Oizumi) drinks alcohol with his driver Takada (Ryuhei Matsuda) in his favourite bar. There he receives a phone call from a woman who identifies herself as Kyoko Kondo. The woman asks the detective to complete a simple task. The detective, having an excellent sense for danger, thinks the work is easy and accepts the case. The next day he begins the investigation.

How are these scores produced? →