Tandem (1994) User Reviews

Had Some Potential As Either A Pinku Film Or A Drama-But Not As Both...

[EVOL666 · 4/10 · 17 March 2010]

TANDEM is an odd slice in the Japanese pink genre-as it has the requisite sex-scenes and misogynistic tone that is all but required for these types of films-but also throws in a disjointed drama/dark-comedy storyline that seems like it'd have been better suited for a different type of film. 

The film starts with two lone guys at a restaurant-each daydreaming about a previous sexual encounter. One is a mutual subway groping, the other a pretty typical (for this type of film) semi-rape scenario. The two pervs meet and start talking after one lends the other a cigarette. They hang out for an evening and talk a bit about their respective sex- lives. The film is inter-cut with flashback scenes of both of the men's interactions with the women that are central in their lives. The two men have a falling out and the film ends on a weird but predictable note... 

I really don't know what to make of TANDEM. It sorta comes off as a soft-core, 'odd couple' type of anti-buddy-film, but doesn't really explore the subject-matter to any satisfying degree. There's also not much of the typical extreme sleaziness often so prevalent in these types of films-so I can't really figure out what the point was. I also cant quite tell if the film was supposed to be funny, depressing, or both.  I think that TANDEM could have had some potential as a more serious drama film with a dark-comedy edge- but as a soft-core sex film that tries to be too 'smart' for its own good-it just doesn't work.   Can't say I hated this one-but can't say there's anything notable about it either. 4/10

An erotic expose on Japanese commuter sex.

[jar_vis-2 · 10/10 · 8 January 2001]

The story, told in flashbacks, as two men travel through the night on a motorcycle, is loaded with highly charged eroticism. Sex and violence are juxtaposed against the drabness of the mens everyday lives, effectively blurring the line between what is real and what is fantasy.

Founded on the well known myth of furtive sexual gropers on the rush-hour Tokyo commuter trains Tandem is a low key masterpiece of Japanese Pink Cinema.

sex action of a rather dubious nature

[christopher-underwood · 8/10 · 13 August 2008]

Pretty grubby example of Japanese 'pink' cinema. Not only is much of the sex action of a rather dubious nature but the print gives the appearance of being transferred from a bootleg video. It is probably the low budget that makes for this look and it must be said that the very grubbiness of the look does seem much in keeping with such sequences as that of feeling up a young woman on a train and a virtual rape. Perhaps more disturbing in both these scenes is that the girl on the train, far from being mortified begins to revel in the action even taking the initiative in the end and similarly the 'rape' victim also eventually warms to the vigour. This is a rather strange movie in which the two male protagonists meet by accident and then proceed to tell each other of their sexual escapades, so I suppose it is possible they are embellishing their tales, but it is never quite certain.

Japanese Porn at its best!

[mynameismichaelcaine · 10/10 · 4 December 2002]

Anyone with a sense of humour must watch this film! It is like a porn film mixed with serious drama. It is a thing of beauty, especially the train scene!

Me and my friends look upon it with legendary status.

WATCH THIS FILM

Odd.

[waider · 6 January 2001]

I can't help feeling it'd have made more sense if I was Japanese, or at least more familiar with the culture. It's basically a chance encounter between two men, the older of whom drives the stilted conversation and subsequent journey they share. Intercut into this are scenes of both men having sex. One is married and cheating on his wife, the other is the third wheel in someone else's relationship (as best I could tell!). The combined result is rather surreal, and comes to a somewhat predictable ending. The subtitled version I saw did have excellent translations, particularly english idioms.