Directed by:
Takashi MiikeScreenplay:
Masa NakamuraCast:
Ken'ichi Endō, Masanobu Andō, Renji Ishibashi, Shunsuke Kubozuka, Ryūhei Matsuda, Ryō Ishibashi, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Soji AraiPlots(1)
The apparent murder of one prisoner by another provides the springboard for the many provocative mysteries at the heart of this bizarre, sensitive drama from Takashi Miike ("Gozu"). Found next to the deceased body of the monstrous Shiro (Ando Masanobu), the timid Jun (Matsuda Ryuhei) is thought to be responsible...but their past history reveals a far more complex bond. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
Lyrical. Fantastical. A detective story. It's all intertwined and tied together very nicely by the soundtrack. I think it reflects the Japanese mindset in an interesting way, or rather how they are, what they believe in. Jun, Shiro, and the smoking detective were all well acted. The bonding, the slow unraveling of a past that to a certain extent is still very hard to understand, all of it made for a very interesting cinematic experience. Don't expect a frantic pace, don't expect bloody fights, don't expect a "fluid" story. This film is about the image, it's about what can't be conveyed through peppery dialogue. Watch and listen, but above all keep your expectations low. ()
Takashi Miike is one of the most interesting directors for me because he doesn't have a defined style and he is able to shoot each film in a way that is most suited to the atmosphere of the story or idea. This is exactly the case with the film "46 Billion Years of Love". The prison environment, minimalism, long shots, artistic performances, the abundance of colors or their suppression. You simply have to have some kind of experience from this, even if you don't necessarily like it. ()