What Is Everything Goes Wrong About?
The premise of Everything Goes Wrong in 288 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the searing heat of a Tokyo summer, the neon‑lit streets of Shinjuku pulse with a restless energy that feels both exhilarating and oppressive. It is a world where teenage crews drift through alleys, their aimless wandering a soundtrack to the city’s simmering tension. Amid this urban heat, a young man named Jirō moves like a spark caught in a gust, his attitudes and ambitions shaped by the chaotic rhythm of the streets and the fragile promises that hover just out of reach.
At home, Misayo – Jirō’s single mother – navigates a delicate balance between her own survival and an uneasy partnership with the polished businessman Keigo Nanbara. Their relationship, a quiet undercurrent of dependence and desire, casts a long shadow over Jirō’s everyday life, feeding his jealousy and sparking a simmering conflict between loyalty to family and rebellion against the adult world he sees as compromised. The household becomes a micro‑cosm of larger societal frictions, where love, power, and resentment intertwine like the tangled wires of the city’s endless neon.
Beyond the family’s strained ties, Jirō is drawn into a knot of fragile connections that tease at his yearning for acceptance. Toshimi, a girl from his circle, offers a tentative intimacy that remains tinged with distance, while Etsuko, a college student with her own hidden burdens, hints at a world of desperate choices lurking just beneath the surface. As these relationships intersect, the film swirls with a moody, almost claustrophobic atmosphere, suggesting that every decision reverberates through an already shaky network of bonds. The tone is both gritty and lyrical, capturing the paradox of youthful vigor colliding with a city that seems to refuse any easy resolution—where, for Jirō, everything feels poised to go terribly wrong.
What Happens in Everything Goes Wrong?
The complete story of Everything Goes Wrong, from the first scene to the last, in 518 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On a sweltering summer day, a gang of high school delinquents roves through Shinjuku, their restlessness cutting through the city heat. Among them, Jirō Sugita clashes with a girl, sparking a tense argument. Jirō then leaves the group and goes home to live with his single mother, Misayo Sugita. Misayo is the mistress of Keigo Nanbara, a businessman, and Jirō’s growing disapproval of their relationship poisons the atmosphere at home, feeding his jealousy.
Jirō’s anger erupts in a fight with Nanbara, tearing through the house and stealing money from Misayo. Toshimi Tani, another girl from the gang, has a crush on Jirō and they begin an intimate relationship, though Jirō remains mostly cool and distant toward her.
At Misayo’s request, Nanbara lectures Jirō about his disreputable lifestyle, but Jirō mocks him. The following day, Nanbara, Misayo, Jirō, and his friends all head to the same Zushi beach resort, each going separately. Etsuko Shimojô, a college student desperate for money for an abortion, leads Nanbara to an empty summer home under the pretense of connecting him with Jirō to make peace. There, she strips to her undergarments and reveals her real motive: to sell herself to obtain the money she needs. The kindhearted Nanbara refuses her advances but still gives her the money she seeks. At that moment, Jirō bursts in with his mother in tow and gleefully exposes Nanbara as a philandering liar. Misayo is upset, but her love for Nanbara remains, and she begs him to stay with her. Enraged and wracked with guilt, Jirō and Toshimi flee and steal a car. Nanbara pursues them; Etsuko leaves with the money, but is waylaid by a group of delinquents who steal it from her. Nanbara finally catches up to Jirō in a hotel room, where he continues to try and reason with Jirō even as the boy alternately mocks him and kisses Toshimi in front of him. When Nanbara is undeterred, Jirō explodes and brutally assaults him with a wrench. Believing he has killed him Jirō and Toshimi escape in the car, and with the police in pursuit, Jirō begins driving at reckless speed until Toshimi screams in fear, begging to be let out of the car. He seems to have a change of heart, but then deliberately drives into the path of an oncoming truck. The moment before he dies, he screams out “Mom!”
Distraught and in pain, Etsuko collapses at the entrance to the subway and falls down a staircase. She is taken to the same hospital as Nanbara, who survived the assault, and even in his gravely wounded state begs the police to forgive Jirō for his actions. Etsuko also survives, but has a miscarriage. The next day at a local bar the youngsters frequented, a journalist for a disreputable paper tells the owner that Jirō is dead. He is disheartened with the current youth culture, but knows that the salacious details of the story will be eaten up by the public. Musing over how he will write the story, he considers starting it with:
“Today, goodwill between people can’t exist anywhere. Everything goes wrong.”
Everything Goes Wrong Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Shinjuku heat and a heated confrontation” to “Bar scene and the journalist's gloomy forecast”. 11 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Shinjuku heat and a heated confrontation
On a scorching summer day, Jirō Sugita and his gang rove through Shinjuku. He harasses a girl, sparking an argument that forces him to leave the group. He returns home to his single mother, Misayo, and learns about her relationship with Keigo Nanbara, which fuels his jealousy and resentment.
When:Daytime Where:Shinjuku
- 2
Violent outburst at home and theft
Jirō gets into a fight with Nanbara, tearing through the house in a fit of anger. In the chaos he steals money from Misayo, revealing his volatile temper and strain with both his mother and Nanbara.
When:Evening Where:Jirō's home
- 3
Toshimi and Jirō begin an affair
Toshimi Tani, one of Jirō's gang, acts on her crush and the two begin an intimate relationship. Jirō remains distant and cool toward the affair, reflecting his growing alienation from the adults and his sense of grievance.
When:Next day Where:Various hangouts
- 4
Trip to Zushi beach resort begins
The following day, Nanbara, Misayo, Jirō, and the others head to the Zushi beach resort, each traveling separately. The day introduces the adult and teenage players to the setting where tensions will escalate and secrets will surface.
When:Daytime Where:Zushi beach resort
- 5
Etsuko's money scheme at the summer home
Etsuko, a college student in need of money for an abortion, guides Nanbara to an empty summer home under the ruse of introducing him to Jirō. She strips and reveals her motive to sell herself for money, which Nanbara refuses while still providing her the funds.
When:Afternoon Where:Empty summer home
- 6
Expose and Misayo's plea
Jirō bursts in with Misayo and exposes Nanbara as a philandering liar. Misayo, though hurt, proclaims her love for Nanbara and begs him to stay with her. Enraged by the confrontation, Jirō and Toshimi flee and steal a car.
When:Immediately after confrontation Where:Empty summer home
- 7
Nanbara pursues; money becomes target
Nanbara pursues the fleeing duo in the car. Etsuko’s money, the object of the deception, ends up being targeted by a group of delinquents who grab it from her.
When:Evening Where:Around the resort/roads
- 8
Hotel confrontation and wrench attack
Nanbara finally catches up to Jirō in a hotel room and pleads with him to calm down. Jirō alternates between mockery and kissing Toshimi in Nanbara's presence, and when Nanbara refuses to back down, Jirō attacks him with a wrench.
When:Night Where:Hotel room
- 9
The chase ends in tragedy
With police in pursuit, Jirō and Toshimi escape in the car. He seems to have a change of heart, but deliberately drives into the path of an oncoming truck. The moment before he dies, he screams 'Mom!'
When:Night Where:Road
- 10
Subway entrance collapse and hospitalization
Distraught, Etsuko collapses at the entrance to a subway and is taken to the same hospital as Nanbara, who has survived the assault. In the hospital, Nanbara begs for forgiveness for Jirō's actions, and Etsuko survives but suffers a miscarriage.
When:Next day Where:Subway entrance; hospital
- 11
Bar scene and the journalist's gloomy forecast
The next day at a local bar, a journalist for a sensationalist paper tells the owner that Jirō is dead. He expresses his disillusion with youth culture and recognizes how the public craves scandal, musing about starting the story with a line about goodwill disappearing.
When:Next day Where:Local bar
Who Are the Main Characters in Everything Goes Wrong?
5 characters, among them Jirō Sugita (Tamio Kawachi), Misayo Sugita (Tomoko Naraoka) and Keigo Nanbara (Shinsuke Ashida): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- JS
Jirō Sugita (Tamio Kawachi)
Played by Tamio Kawachi
A high school delinquent whose jealousy toward his mother's relationship with Nanbara drives him to secrecy, aggression, and theft. He bullies peers and becomes the engine of the film's most brutal moments. His arc ends in a reckless car confrontation that culminates in his death, crying out to his mother as it happens.
- 🎭 Delinquent youth
- 💥 Violence
- 💔 Jealousy
- MS
Misayo Sugita (Tomoko Naraoka)
Played by Tomoko Naraoka
Jirō's mother and Nanbara's lover. She navigates a fragile domestic balance, showing care for Nanbara while trying to manage her son's volatile behavior. Her loyalty to Nanbara remains, even as turmoil tests their relationship.
- 💗 Family
- 🫂 Complex relationships
- 💼 Responsibility
- KN
Keigo Nanbara (Shinsuke Ashida)
Played by Shinsuke Ashida
A businessman drawn into a troubled love triangle. He attempts to reason with Jirō and mediate the tensions, but ends up battered and tested by the youths' volatility. Despite his injuries, he forgives and remains a voice of restraint and accountability.
- 💼 Ambition
- 🛡️ Protection
- 💬 Mediation
- TT
Toshimi Tani (Yoshiko Nezu)
Played by Yoshiko Nezu
A gang member who harbors a crush on Jirō and participates in a reckless escape with him. Her actions reflect the mix of affection, fear, and loyalty that fuels the group’s dangerous decisions.
- 💔 Affection
- 👥 Peer-pressure
- 🌀 Loyalty
- ES
Etsuko Shimojô (Shinako Nakagawa)
Played by Shinako Nakagawa
A college student desperate for money to pay for an abortion. She manipulates Nanbara to secure funds, becoming a catalyst in the adults' moral conflicts. She endures violence and personal loss as the story unfolds.
- 🧭 Desperation
- 💰 Transaction
- 💔 Loss
Where and When Is Everything Goes Wrong Set?
Everything Goes Wrong is set in Shinjuku and Zushi Beach Resort. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Shinjuku, Zushi Beach Resort
Shinjuku is a crowded urban hub where the delinquent gang roams through neon-lit streets and nightlife. Zushi beach resort is a sun-soaked seaside escape that becomes a stage for adult schemes and fragile loyalties. Together, these locations highlight the clash between rough street life and complicated family dynamics.
- 🌆 Urban landscape
- 🗺️ Japan
What Are the Themes of Everything Goes Wrong?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Youth Rebellion, Violence and Consequences and Media and Morality.
-
01
Youth Rebellion
The film centers on a group of high school delinquents whose impulsive behavior and loyalty tests push them toward self-destructive choices. Jirō's jealousy and defiance against authority illuminate how adolescence can blur morality. The story uses street-level confrontations to explore the fragility of bonds among friends and family. This theme shows how youth culture can escalate into tragedy when boundaries are ignored.
-
02
Violence and Consequences
Violence drives the plot from the wrench attack to the reckless car pursuit and fatal crash. The film portrays violence as a corrosive force that harms both aggressor and victims, leaving long-lasting scars. Characters grapple with guilt, fear, and the fallout of their actions. The narrative makes clear that violent acts ripple beyond the initial moment of impact.
-
03
Media and Morality
A journalist character hints at sensationalist storytelling that profits from tragedy. The plot contemplates starting a report with a cynical observation about goodwill and disintegrating social bonds. The film critiques how adults and media shapes perceptions of youth and responsibility. It asks what truthful accountability looks like when sensationalism eclipses nuance.
What Kind of Film Is Everything Goes Wrong?
Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A relentless and grim descent into teenage angst and crime, depicting a young man's self-destructive spiral with escalating tension and a profoundly bleak conclusion.
- angst-ridden
- tense
- melancholic
- oppressive
- chaotic
- grim
- coming of age
- parental conflict
- crime
- illicit romance
Content notes: teen delinquency, violent assault, fatal car crash, unplanned pregnancy, miscarriage.
Quiz
How well do you remember Everything Goes Wrong? Test yourself on the story.
