In brief, Map of the Sounds of Tokyo is a beautifully shot, poignant drama, elevated by a profoundly melancholic script, superb acting and a moving soundtrack, which all comes together to make for a genuinely touching feature.
Expanding on this, Isabel Coixet's work could be accused of being 'arty', though is probably about as close to a Wong Kar Wai movie as any filmmaker could get, with a deep feeling of hopelessness - in the best possible way; sometimes hopelessly romantic, other times hopelessly tragic, the film does this all whilst building a bridge between cultures to reveal the interconnectedness between people of varying backgrounds.
In a film with the word 'sound' in its title, it's amazing how there are many instances where characters say very little, their expressions however speaking volumes. No word is ever wasted in the almost poetic script, particularly in its portrayal of narration by Narrador (Min Tanaka), who helps to say what other characters may not, whilst also giving the film a voyeuristic quality, as he records the lives of those around him. His often touching dialogue is truly memorable.
It is Rinko Kikuchi's portrayal of Ryu however, that is at the forefront of this feature. She is an outsider who has a profound understanding of others; someone who is blunt and to the point, but also gentle; as fearless as she is strong, yet also vulnerable, all of which makes for a very endearing character. She works nights at a fish market, while moonlighting as an assassin. Despite Ryu's trade, there is very little violence in the film, Coixet instead exploring the feelings of guilt exhibited by those that survive the victims.
One such person is David (Sergi Lopez), a Spaniard who moved to Japan because of the adoration he feels towards the country. Having recently lost his girlfriend, Midori, to a suicide, he is forced to contend with the loneliness his girlfriend's absence has over him, while trying to rationalise what led to the tragedy. Coixet never provides a definite reason for Midori's death, instead leaving it to the likes of other characters, including David's close friend and business partner, Yoshi (Manabu Oshio) to provide their interpretations.
As Midori's father, Nagara (Takeo Nakahara) succumbs to inconsolable grief, his business partner Ishida (Hideo Sakaki) seeks the services of Ryu to provide Nagara with a sense of atonement, neither man able to accept that David lives while Midori does not. After taking the contract, Ryu finds herself inexplicably drawn to David, these two characters, both of whom are emotionally scarred, needing each other like air or water. Unable to perform the assassination she was hired for, Ryu becomes the meat in the sandwich, having to protect David from Ishida.
Though the film has been described as an 'erotic thriller', the few sensual scenes, that show a nipple or two, and allude to cunnilingus, never become gratuitous, adding to the film's emphasis on recording the interactions between people. The film makes it seem like we, the audience, are witnessing many secrets, the feature eroding the privacy of its leads and capturing the many facets of a character's soul, and how they all behave differently around others.
The film's direction and costuming again, bears similarity to a Wong Kar Wai product, in that actors are often framed, with the use of high key lighting, to make them appear at their most beautiful, especially when Kikuchi is on screen, her physical beauty contrasting magnificently with her character's darkness.
The use of soundtrack further elevates the scenes, by magnifying the weight of what characters are feeling. Other times, it triumphantly adds tension, one such example being a tune reminiscent of a rattle snake's tail when Ryu confronts her obligation to complete her contract. This is also true in scenes with the absence of sound, or scenes where sounds from one location creep through into another (example, the diegetic sounds of a cemetery played non-diegetically during an aerial shot of the city), which speak to the way character's feel about a person or place, these 'sounds' sometimes saying more than a character might.
Coixet brilliantly weaves mystery into her film, making us, the viewer, question if we ever really know a person, even after being privy to their secrets. Although Map of the Sounds of Tokyo will not be for everyone, for viewers who love a character drama, or a journey into character's deepest fantasies and feelings, this film is simply a must, and is one mystery that is very easy to return to.
Expanding on this, Isabel Coixet's work could be accused of being 'arty', though is probably about as close to a Wong Kar Wai movie as any filmmaker could get, with a deep feeling of hopelessness - in the best possible way; sometimes hopelessly romantic, other times hopelessly tragic, the film does this all whilst building a bridge between cultures to reveal the interconnectedness between people of varying backgrounds.
In a film with the word 'sound' in its title, it's amazing how there are many instances where characters say very little, their expressions however speaking volumes. No word is ever wasted in the almost poetic script, particularly in its portrayal of narration by Narrador (Min Tanaka), who helps to say what other characters may not, whilst also giving the film a voyeuristic quality, as he records the lives of those around him. His often touching dialogue is truly memorable.
It is Rinko Kikuchi's portrayal of Ryu however, that is at the forefront of this feature. She is an outsider who has a profound understanding of others; someone who is blunt and to the point, but also gentle; as fearless as she is strong, yet also vulnerable, all of which makes for a very endearing character. She works nights at a fish market, while moonlighting as an assassin. Despite Ryu's trade, there is very little violence in the film, Coixet instead exploring the feelings of guilt exhibited by those that survive the victims.
One such person is David (Sergi Lopez), a Spaniard who moved to Japan because of the adoration he feels towards the country. Having recently lost his girlfriend, Midori, to a suicide, he is forced to contend with the loneliness his girlfriend's absence has over him, while trying to rationalise what led to the tragedy. Coixet never provides a definite reason for Midori's death, instead leaving it to the likes of other characters, including David's close friend and business partner, Yoshi (Manabu Oshio) to provide their interpretations.
As Midori's father, Nagara (Takeo Nakahara) succumbs to inconsolable grief, his business partner Ishida (Hideo Sakaki) seeks the services of Ryu to provide Nagara with a sense of atonement, neither man able to accept that David lives while Midori does not. After taking the contract, Ryu finds herself inexplicably drawn to David, these two characters, both of whom are emotionally scarred, needing each other like air or water. Unable to perform the assassination she was hired for, Ryu becomes the meat in the sandwich, having to protect David from Ishida.
Though the film has been described as an 'erotic thriller', the few sensual scenes, that show a nipple or two, and allude to cunnilingus, never become gratuitous, adding to the film's emphasis on recording the interactions between people. The film makes it seem like we, the audience, are witnessing many secrets, the feature eroding the privacy of its leads and capturing the many facets of a character's soul, and how they all behave differently around others.
The film's direction and costuming again, bears similarity to a Wong Kar Wai product, in that actors are often framed, with the use of high key lighting, to make them appear at their most beautiful, especially when Kikuchi is on screen, her physical beauty contrasting magnificently with her character's darkness.
The use of soundtrack further elevates the scenes, by magnifying the weight of what characters are feeling. Other times, it triumphantly adds tension, one such example being a tune reminiscent of a rattle snake's tail when Ryu confronts her obligation to complete her contract. This is also true in scenes with the absence of sound, or scenes where sounds from one location creep through into another (example, the diegetic sounds of a cemetery played non-diegetically during an aerial shot of the city), which speak to the way character's feel about a person or place, these 'sounds' sometimes saying more than a character might.
Coixet brilliantly weaves mystery into her film, making us, the viewer, question if we ever really know a person, even after being privy to their secrets. Although Map of the Sounds of Tokyo will not be for everyone, for viewers who love a character drama, or a journey into character's deepest fantasies and feelings, this film is simply a must, and is one mystery that is very easy to return to.