GUILTY OF ROMANCE (2011)

Genre: Erotic/Thriller
Director: Sion Sono
Cast: Miki Mizumo, Makoto Togashi, Megumi Kagurazaka
RunTime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Content)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: http://www.koi-tumi.com/index.html

Opening Day: 16 May 2013

Synopsis: The new crime noir from the award-winning director Sion Sono (Love Exposure, Cold Fish) — tells the tale of three women entangled in a mystery...a mystery that is the gate to a hell-bound love like no other!

Movie Review:

“Guilty of Romance” is a 2011 film from internationally acclaimed director-writer Sion Sono. His movies are known to challenge deep seated issues in society, which are often neglected or conveniently swept under the carpet. One of the first few films that brought him such reputation was Suicide Club (2001). It was also one of the key films that won him a significant cult follow, both in Japan and internationally.

Akin to many of Sion’s films, “Guilty of Romance” adopts a dark tone. To set the background right, the movie is loosely based on a high profile murder case in 1997 of Yasuka Watanabe, who held a respectable position at TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), but moonlights as a prostitute at the love hotel district in Shibuya, Tokyo. Although the synopsis says that it tells the tale of three women, the bulk of it concentrates on the relationship between two women: Izumi (Megumi Kagurazakan), the ideal wife that takes good care of the home while the husband is away, and Mitsuko (Makoto Togashi), an associate professor in Literature of a reputable university.

The movie began with showing the work of a brutal murder case of a female victim found in an abandoned apartment in the love hotel district in Shibuya. Then it wastes no slack to introduce Izumi, delving into her mundane, routine and lonely life of being the stay-home wife. She represents someone whose life is mainly ordered around others, and for her case, the husband. Love and sex wise, she is also pretty much deprived; with many wild and sassy thoughts running through her mind, but nothing happening in actuality. Ironically, the husband is an erotic novelist.

One day, Izumi decided that she needs to break out of this cycle, to do something for her own sake before she turns 30. However, serendipity led her to engage in a line of business that she had never thought of doing. She unknowingly discovered her vice, and continued on to feed her lust and to beef up her confidence. It also led Izumi and Mitsuko to cross path. Since, Izumi devoted her trust and dedication to Mitsuko, following and picking up ‘the way of life’ from her.

This movie was really engaging and captivating in many ways. From the point when Mistuko entered Izumi’s life, the story became a lot more packed, with the development of Izumi’s character, and Mistuko’s dark past haunting back at her. Their relationship and exchanges were particularly intriguing to watch. As the story progresses, leading to the turn of events to unveil the truth behind the murder, it peaked at a point where the two women let loose of their emotions, going into flux between extreme exasperation and desperation. It simply leads people to wonder, “How wrecked can one go?”, “Just who are you trusting?”

The reviewer wishes she can go on at length to explain the brilliance of the movie, but she shall leave that for you to find out. All in all, the movie takes no wimpy approach to deal and explore the ‘real issues’. The success is also held together by the actresses’ who truly devoted themselves to the role and the well worked angles that give the extra thrill. And perhaps because this movie was set in a busy and modern city like Shibuya, it bears eerily similar characteristics to our Orchard Road, which certainly makes it even more resonating. In closing, here is a section of the poem, On my way home by Ryuichi Tamura, which was cited in the movie several times. May it stir you up as much as it did for me:

I should never have learned words
Simply because I know Japanese and bits of a foreign tongue
I stand still in your tears
I come back alone into your blood

Movie Rating:

(Sion Sono has scored once again. A true work of excellence! Alluring and insane at the same time)

Review by Tho Shu Ling