Kurupt FM are back for their big screen debut, People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan. Since the end of their pirate radio station, life has been quiet for the Kurupt FM boys, but everything is about to change. News reaches them that one of their songs has been used on a popular game show in Japan. They’ve made it! Their music is reaching hundreds of thousands of people! It’s finally time for them to enjoy the fame and fortune that they’ve always known they deserved. Chabuddy G steps excitedly back into his management role as Grindah, Beats, Steves and Decoy begin their journey to international stardom… But is Japan really ready for Kurupt FM?
As expected, this film dives into familiar territories surrounding fame and fortune bringing the familiar cast to an entirely different world. To put it simply, they are thrown straight into the deep end. Kurupt FM are tested, dance moves are botched, and the gravity of being in a new country hits them like a brick wall. The film thrives on its ‘fish out of water’ approached which I honestly feared at the time. We’re currently in a very strange and heartbreaking climate where asian hate crimes are at an all time high. For the boys from Brentford to enter this foreign country, there was an element of risk attached. Would People Just Do Nothing fall victim to typical and exhausted stereotypes?
The answer is no. What’s great about People Just Do Nothing is how it utilizes that classic mockumentary style and attempts to reach outside audiences. Despite being a complete outsider in regards to the world of garage music, this film felt a lot more natural and even plausible with the boys being in uncharted waters. Rather than Japanese culture being the subject of teasing, fun is poked at the fact that the boys are in over their head, geographically and professionally. It was a real reflection of these two vastly different worlds and cultures merging and the results are very funny. Rather than it being distastful and harmful, it’s actually a realistic representation of what happens when you go to a new country and attempt to adapt.
People Just Do Nothing is heading to DVD on November 22nd!
Some of the guys disliking the wonderful taste of ramen isn’t an attack on Japanese culture, it’s actually a somewhat accurate look at how some people fail to adapt and actually reject their new surroundings. How could I not smile when Kurupt FM found themselves in a McDonalds gleaming with happiness. It’s this idea of finding something familiar within the unfamiliar that is very sweet and endearing. Another brilliant example is how the Brits continuously take their shoes off wherever they go in an attempt to be polite and respectful. The inevitable culture-clash is tricky terrain to stumble on, but People Just Do Nothing did a wonderful job at balancing it and making it playful.
While this sequel focuses on Kurupt FM’s (or Bang Boys) hunt for fame, the film never strays from what makes People Just Do Nothing stand out amongst the sea of Mockumentaries. The growing and evolving relationships between the guys shines brighter and their reoccurring inability to simply grow up holds the film together. We are usually inundated with sequels, prequels and all sorts of ‘quels’ but Big In Japan feels like a film that offers something worthwhile for returning fans who wanted more from the pirate radio DJs, and for newcomers who seek something different and entertaining.
People Just Do Nothing is available now on Digital and on Blu-ray™ and DVD Monday 22nd November.
People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan stars Allan Mustafa (MC Grindah), Hugo Chegwin (DJ Beats), Asim Chaudhry (Chabuddy G), Steve Stamp (Steves), Dan Sylvester (Decoy), Lily Brazier (Miche), Hitomi Souno (Miki) and Ken Yamamura (Taka). Written by Steve Stamp and Allan Mustafa, with additional material by Asim Chaudhry, Hugo Chegwin and Lily Brazier. The film is directed by Jack Clough and produced by Claire Jones and Tim Sealey for Roughcut.
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