Directed by:
Ryûichi HirokiCinematography:
鍋島淳裕Cast:
前田敦子, Shōta Sometani, Kaho Minami, Na-ra Lee, Jun Murakami, 大森南朋, Tomorowo Taguchi, Yutaka Matsushige, 忍成修吾, 我妻三輪子, 河井青葉, Miho Ninagawa, Asako OgawaPlots(1)
A young man dreams of working at a first-rate hotel, but he's stuck managing a love hotel in Kabukicho, an infamous entertainment and red-light district in Tokyo teeming with lovers, streetwalkers, johns and pimps. One day, he learns not only that his sister has become a porn star but also that his singer girlfriend is about to sleep with a music producer in order to get signed to a deal. Over one day at this love hotel, the dreams and desires of tenants intersect and collide in a bittersweet portrait of modern Japan as they try to get through the day while aspiring for something greater. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
Basically, this is an atypical romance story with a sweet ending. You could say that a "dirty" place like an hourly hotel can bring joy and love into the lives of those who enter it. And if not that, at least it will help them finally realize what they really want out of life. A gripping story with erotic scenes (for example, I'm used to watching movies with the door ajar, so when the moaning suddenly started, I was a bit worried that my parents would come in, not wanting to explain to them that this is a festival award-winning film and not porn), which of course belong in the movie and are definitely not there just to shock the viewer or draw attention to themselves. Shota, as always, was great and I really liked the way he was able to play a poor guy beaten down by life who had basically given up. I also liked how everything fell into place and Toru (Shota) is very well portrayed as a character (i.e. it is clear to the viewer while watching why he isn't sleeping that much with his girlfriend anymore). The Korean couple was also great, the lady in question was a particularly interesting character. The same could be said for Suzuki (the great Minami Kaho) and her love interest, who is great at jumping on wheels in motion. It's a nice film. Well made and well written. The acting is very well done. Even though I’m praising it like this, don't expect some blockbuster you see once every 20 years. It's just a good movie.
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