I have always wondered why Americans always label everything they can lay their hands on; that's how Sonatine became "an action movie", Arizona Dream became "a comedy", etc. Maybe their viewers need to be told what is what because it's hard for them to think for themselves. Sonatine is NOT a typical action movie. Though the characters are gangsters and they DO kill people occasionally it's not the killings that are important. The director and the cast show that those gangsters are also human, with their likes and dislikes, their games and pranks, their love and loyalty.It's a very Japanese film showing the beauty of the fleeting moments of life, fragility of life, beauty of nature and of human soul which is capable of self-sacrifice and devotion. I particularly loved the game of cardboard wrestlers they palyed on the beach and the fireworks. It's fresh, genuine and filmed in a non-American way (thanks god!)mostly as far as its framing and editing are concerned. Calm and life-like sequences of frames make it look NORMAL, not "movie-like". Thanks god there's nothing like Unreal Tournament gun-happiness and no heroes walking away in a most manly way against the background of flames and nuclear explosions, which are omnipresent in American productions. Takeshi, go, go! We are on your side!