Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Guilty of Romance (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi • 恋の罪 (2011)
Genre: Drama
Director: Sion Sono
Starring: Miki Mizuno, Makoto Togashi, Megumi Kagurazaka
Language: Japanese
Duration: 112 min.
Rating: 7.5
Summary:
A dramatic account of two women and their lives, seen through the looking glass of sex, words, madness, death, and family.
Guilty of Romance is a film written and directed by Sion Sono, based loosely on a true crime. It is the final chapter of his unofficial 'Hate trilogy', following Love Exposure (2008) and Cold Fish (2010). It premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

There's plenty of guilt, but little romance in this stylish and uninhibited exploration of female sexuality from Sono, the most exciting Japanese director working today. The film is set in late 1990s Japan, where a grisly murder has been discovered in a condemned building in the infamous Maruyama-cho Shibuya, Love Hotel (brothel) district. The mutilated body of a woman is found sewn into mannequins, and the case is investigated by Detective Kazuko (Miki Mizuno), leading us to two women each living dual lives and in a dangerous downward spiral of depravity.

We have bored doting housewife Izumi (Megumi Kagurazaka, last seen in Cold Fish), married to a successful romance novelist, and daytime literary professor Mitsuko (Makoto Togashi), who becomes a street hooker at night. The two eventually cross paths in a bleak and twisted but intense mashup of absurdly dark comedy, erotic thriller, psychological drama, and detective mystery, splashed with vivid color, like a cross between Buñuel, Godard, Almodóvar, and Argento.

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Sono is not known for his subtlety, and he certainly piles on the indecency and extremity here. Assaulting the audience with over the top characters, naked writhing bodies, rotting corpses crawling with maggots, blatant literary and cinematic references, and bright neon metaphors.

He fearlessly juggles all these elaborate threads and multiple genres well, and it is an utterly fascinating watch, but will be a challenge for most, and is also a touch repetitive and tedious at times. Apparently this international cut has been trimmed down by about 30 minutes from the version that screened at Cannes last spring, but I daresay the narrative could have used even more tightening up.

If you've seen and enjoyed the first two films of the trilogy then you will almost certainly enjoy this one. If you haven't, then this probably isn't the best place to start. Still, it's another bold and provocative statement from the prolific Sono, whose wild imagination thankfully doesn't seem to be losing any steam.
Bonjour Tristesse
Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

Guilty of Romance • Koi no Tsumi (2011)

18 comments:

the_cynicalgamer said...

It's not my favourite of Sono's film, but it's certainly an intense and unusual watch nonetheless. I'm still quite eager to track down the much longer original cut.

Also, if you haven't seen it yet, make sure to track down his next film Himizu. It's remarkable stuff.

Michaël Parent said...

I'll have to catch some Sion Sono. It is a brand new name for me here! Looks like a trilogy I'll quite enjoy.

stevens1 said...

I started this a few months back but didn't make it past 30 minutes - maybe I should've been more patient but I really wasn't liking the direction is was taking.

d_4 said...

I've still got Cold Fish on my list, I actually hope to see that one soon (ish) and after I do I hope to know if this will be to my liking. Seems interesting and possible enough.

Martin Teller said...

This looks great. LOVE EXPOSURE was fantastic, I had no idea it was part of a series. Putting this and COLD FISH on my list.

MRanthrope said...

nudity, maggots, extremity? SOLD. I'm tracking this trilogy down ASAP

FrontRoomCinema said...

Sounds a bit much for little old me BT

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I would also be interested in seeing the longer cut. I think its mostly the detective's story line that was trimmed down, as it stands she doesn't really serve an useful role other than as a framing device.

Also I agree Himizu is an amazing film. I just posted my review for it here: http://www.bonjourtristesse.net/2012/07/himizu-2011.html

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yes you do! I'd say he is easily the most important contemporary Japanese director.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Have you seen any of his other films that you liked?

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Let me know if you ever do see it.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

All three are vastly different films, they just deal with loosely related themes. But since you enjoyed LOVE EXPOSURE, I highly recommend seeking these two out.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I think you'd enjoy most of his films. You can check out more of them here: http://genkinahito.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/sion-sono-season/

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I figured that would be the case.

stevens1 said...

I saw Cold Fish and was unimpressed really, the blood levels were just ridiculous come the end. Heard good things about Himizu but cautious on trying it out.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Ah, then it's probably safe to say Sono is not for you.

Mavi said...

Cold Fish Dropped down my list after Steven @filmscopedotnet didnt rate it at all... but this just seemed like a soft porn, but until now I was unaware who the director was....

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I will admit there is a bit of a soft-porn aspect to it, but this ain't Jess Franco. There is a lot more going on than just mindless titillation. Actually it's main problem is there is too much going on for its own good.

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