| Tokyo Cowboy | |
| Director: | Marc Marriott |
| Music: | Chad Cannon |
| Cinematography: | Oscar Ignacio Jiménez |
| Editing: | Yasu Inoue |
| Studio: | Salaryman Film LLC |
| Distributor: | Purdie Distribution |
| Runtime: | 118 minutes |
| Country: | Japan United States |
| Language: | English |
| Gross: | $188,455 |
Tokyo Cowboy is a 2023 comedy-drama film directed by Marc Marriott and written by Ayako Fujitani and Dave Boyle. An American and Japanese co-production, it follows Hideki, a Japanese businessman aiming to turn a Montana-based cattle ranch into a profitable asset for the Japanese beef company he works for.
The film stars Arata Iura in his American film debut.
Japanese businessman Hideki takes over a chocolate company built by its owner, a grandfather with no grandchildren to inherit the company.[1] With his job security in danger, he leaves for Montana, after convincing his boss and fiancée (Ayako Fujitani) that he can turn a struggling cattle ranch into a profitable business that produced wagyu beef.[1] [2]
In Montana, he meets ranch owner Peg (Robin Weigert) and ranch hand Javier (Gaya Robles). Due to cultural differences, he encounters difficulties with his original plan.[3]
Development on the film was inspired by an American magazine article that director Marc Marriott came across upon his return to the United States from Japan, where he served as a filmmaking apprentice to Yoji Yamada.[4] The magazine article covered a Japanese beef company which purchased a cattle ranch in Montana "to expand its operations". The company sent salarymen to the ranch in order to educate its staff on American cattle farming, as well as to introduce Americans to "the Japanese palate".[4]
Arata Iura stars as Hideki, marking his American film debut.[5] Filming took place in Tokyo and Montana.[5] Filming in Montana primarily took place in Paradise Valley.[1]
Tokyo Cowboy had a limited theatrical release in the United States on August 30, 2024.
The film has an 90% approval rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 8 reviews.[6] Writing for the Japan Times, Roland Kelts writes "Tokyo Cowboy is charming and beautifully shot...a refreshing, transcultural role-reversal drama."Also on CineGods Movie Review site, Ray Green writes "An art film that’s also a crowdpleaser, Tokyo Cowboy has a big heart, and deserves any audience it finds."
The film has grossed $188,455, with $81,726 coming from its domestic release and $106,729 coming from international markets.[7]
In its film festival run, Tokyo Cowboy was a winner at the Tallgrass, Boston, Sedona, and St. Louis International Film Festivals.[8]