The Brutal Hopelessness of Love

2007 1h 57m JA

🤯

8.5

MASTERPIECE

★8.5TMDB · 2

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Famous movie actress Nami is being interviewed by a magazine reporter about her new film in which the plot resembles her real life. Her actor husband Yosuke has an affair with a young actress Junko whereas in the movie, Nami acts as an actress whose husband has an extramarital relationship with a young girl, with Yosuke as the husband and Junko as the new girl friend. In the course of the interview, Nami falls into deep thoughts and flashbacks about her lascivious encounters with strangers in a night train, in the movie as in the reality. Despite whether her intention is to revenge her husband or to satisfy her own desires, Nami demonstrates bewitching charm in a series of intercourse with different men, positions and locations. Director Takashi Ishii attempts to explore female sexual psychology through perfect blends of aesthetic nudity and violence.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Mai Kitajima
Nami Tsuchiya
Toshiyuki Nagashima
Yōsuke Tsuchiya
Kanji Tsuda
Okano
Naoto Takenaka
Katsuragi
Yozaburo Ito
Shōichi Ogura
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi
Muraki
Shun Nakayama
Noguchi
Akio Joe
Yamagami

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Takashi Ishii
Writers: Takashi Ishii, Takashi Ishii, Takashi Ishii
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 19 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Directed by Takashi Ishii, shot by Rokurō Terada. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Goro Yasukawa. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Yûji Murayama shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Mai Kitajima and Toshiyuki Nagashima and Kanji Tsuda carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1086313 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Takashi Ishii directs. Rokurō Terada behind the camera. Goro Yasukawa scores. Yûji Murayama cuts. Produced in Japan.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 19 years ago.
2Directed by Takashi Ishii, shot by Rokurō Terada. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Goro Yasukawa. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Yûji Murayama shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Mai Kitajima and Toshiyuki Nagashima and Kanji Tsuda carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt1086313 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.