This is a Sion Sono movie, which apparently carries certain weight and implications that I didn't know until after the viewing. I will admit it is an artful film, in the sense that all creative choices seem very deliberate, heavyhanded even, but very clear. I don't agree with those choices but they do all contribute to the film as a sort of cinematic painting, rather than a story. Yes, it seemed the director was painting with his favorite colors, rather than engineering a tight movie. I have only seen trailers of his other movies but I can see the same colors in those.
Color 1: Megumi Kagurazaka
The main character is a housewife played by the director's own wife. He...really likes showing her off. She doesn't disappoint of course, in acting or, er, physical appeal. But knowing shes married to Sion gives an...interesting dynamic to her scenes.
Color 2: Cuckoldry and Cheating
It happens so much it's almost satirical. Maybe it is, but maybe also unironic given Color 1.
Color 3: Psychology, Philosophy
Wax poetic about the power of words and actions. The scenes between the Izumi and Mitsuko I personally did not find very engaging or informative. I'll just accept that Izumi is spiritually seduced by Mitsuko's poetic turn of phrase, but Mitsuko is just using her highbrow academic language to trap her prey.
Color 4: Corruption, Degradation
The main characters are all women, but I didn't find the movie particularly feminist or empowering. All 4 major female characters make humiliation and degradation central to their characters. Men are in the picture as dastardly enablers, but the women make the conscious decisions to further their own self-destruction. Perhaps because they are trapped in patriarchy, all their efforts to empowerment also slide them toward doom?
I now think this dilemma is one of the stronger parts of the movie. Izumi is spiritually freed by embracing her sexuality, but she is also disturbed and the guilt corrodes her. Her mirror scene was, er, great for viewers, but the longer it went on, the more uncomfortable and effective it became. Yeah that girl ain't right.
This is the weakest color for me. The gory nature of the murder I felt was askew to the tone and message of movie as whole, and felt like it was just there to draw viewers and make them wonder what kind of killer would do such a thing.
The resolution to the murder, though present, was unsatisfying, unlike Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder, which was unresolved but satisfying.
Artistically, the murder as a component of the movie does match the nature of the murder itself, a few bloody weirdly tacked on pieces.
The SA components were, again, disturbing and effective, and I think too much.
I did not appreciate the final scene with kids whatsoever. I really hope those kids weren't actually there,
Hated that pimp character, he is actually just...awful. Good casting, because I hated him immediately.
Hated the husband, instantly knew he was slime and went out to cheat all the time. I didn't guess it was every damn day though.
Makoto Togashi has a jawline that can lift a continent.
I really liked the trash-truck chasing metaphor, and that the movie ended on that. Really tied up the corruption color, I just hope Sion didn't make Miki Mizuno run that much.
Overall, a pretty good viewing experience.
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