“I see! We are in reality and they are in the fantasy. Reality is going to lose!” – Why Don’t You Play In Hell?
It is an established fact that Sono’s film making is unique. Its niche appeal doesn’t stop his brilliance from swirling round his cinema’s corridors. The bizarre factor in his movies is what I have adored and have grown to love. His story-telling and presentation are paradigms of independent film making. When a child asks for a scoop of ice-cream, Sono gives him the whole bucket. The articulate architect has always been fond of building and this time, his lego pieces are the Yakuza. The story of ‘Why Don’t You Play in Hell? [Jigoku de naze warui] ‘ revolves around two clans, a filmmaker driven by the desire of making the greatest film of his life, a high-school kid and a tale of their concurring paths.
“We have to take this road. Move over!”
“No space to move over.”
“Do that at school.”
“To hell with you!”
The characters are amazing. From Koji, Mitsuko, Hirata to Muto, everybody has their share of hilarity and fusion on the screen. The concordat grows only stronger when the ordinary lives of an ambitious filmmaker group unite with the routine of the Yakuza’s raid. The amount of gore and violence glued with special effects keep on adding to your Sono experience.
If I had to choose a personal favourite from the character index, it would be Ikegami. Simply because the clod in him has been done so brilliantly. His obsession with Mitsuko, the ecstatic monologues and even his avid dealings with his associates. Brilliant! There’s hardly a word of scathe for him in my diary.
If you were looking for a semi-sociopath woman, you’ve come to the right place. In fact, there are two of them here. Mitsuko the famous toothpaste commercial star and Junko, her mother. Granted that we do not see much of Junko, her character has been executed well. And Mitsuko is another entry in my diary of fantastic characters. Her punk-esque taste in clothing and her measure for measure personality is a charm on the screen.
★★★★½
Author: K Gopal Krishna
Cinemaphile and TV buff, Gopal has been writing reviews from a while now and with each constructive criticism, he has tried to improve. His favourite movies are Fight Club and Love Exposure. He has a great liking towards The Perks of Being a Wallflower as well. When he’s not watching movies or tv shows, his interests conquer the gadget world. He’s a big fan of Doctor Who and considers David Tennant to be his Doctor.
Links: IMDb