Tuesday, August 22, 2006

i've just finished watching tony takitani, a simple but lovely portrayal of urbane solitude and disconnect. it's so simple in fact, that imdb.com tells me that there are all of 12 members of cast and crew, the main actor and actress play dual roles. the actress first plays eiko. she meets tony takitani and he is taken by her and how well she wears her clothes. on a date, she admits clothes are a foil to the void she feels and says it like it is about her self-centeredness, and this candour is rather refreshing, since most jap girls seem to like to play the coy coquette card. she spends entire salaries on clothes, by displaying her insecurities and lackthereofs in sumptious clothes, it -surprisesurprise- leads to a shopping addiction. one scene was particularly amusing; tony takitani whom she married, asks her kindly to curb her habit and she literally recoils and to see the horror unfold on the actress' flawless face was at once slightly funny and absolutely believeable. her love of clothes leads to her abrupt death, by way of a car accident and she leaves behind a large roomful of her excessive earthly possessions. tony takitani, reeling from the shock of her absence, puts out an advert for someone whose statistics are similar to his deceased wife. the applicant for the ad is played by the same actress, this time with less sophistication and elegance but just as gorgeous, nonetheless. takitani's objective of having her around was to run simple errands for him, while wearing his wife's clothes. overwhelmed by the sheer excess and beauty of all that was laid out in front of her, she breaks down. if i've piqued your interest and held it thus far, then you should enjoy the movie. it's so beautifully simple, but sometimes, complexities like loneliness and voids don't need frills to be presented effectively.

the textual siege.

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