Scoutman

Parts of this film disturbed me. Parts of this left me wondering what its all about.

Very simply put this is the story of a couple who end up in Japan's porn business. It is an eye opening look at how things are done in another country. We watch as a young man becomes a scout-man, a person who accosts women on the street in a large Japanese city talking them into appearing in porn films or nude layouts. Eventually the girl drifts into the business and the whole thing puts a strain on the relationship. A good deal more happens and doesn't happen. Its kind of a weird slice of life thats almost cinema verite in style.

Its an odd film, that I'm not sure I liked completely. Its been several hours since I've seen it and I'm still trying to put my feelings together about it. This is definitely not your typical run of the mill film. Its a something that would make for an interesting addition to a film festival of porn related films like Boogie Night and Hardcore.

If you're adventurous I'd give it a try. I can't say what you'll make of it but it will certainly not be your typical night at the movies.

This is a very mellow movie, that doesn't have a lot action, but is really a quite romantic movie.

The two teens arrive in the city and get mixed up in various dubious industries and scams. Their relationship and life on the streets of a large Japanese city is really the themes of the movie. Besides the insight in Japanese streetwear...

A teenage couple, Mari and Atushi, elope to a big city in search for a better life. Mari, who is crippled, tries her best to look for a job while her boyfriend spends most of his time picking up girls.

Eventually, Atushi is introduced to the world of scoutmen - flashy, dashing men who recruit young women off the streets for adult video (AV). Mari befriends Kana, who appears to be selling ""party tickets", but who makes most of her money by providing various services to salarymen with kinky fetishes.

The director spins a disturbing and rather sad tale about two innocent teens who get involved with the sex industry. At the same time, he shows us how volatile a career it can be. Aging AV stars are less in demand, and turn to fuzoku, the non-intercourse sex industry. A former hotshot scoutman degenerates into a lechering loser.

A well-balanced look at the sex industry particular to Japan, where girls sell their bodies to "dirty old men" to buy branded goods, while overworked salarymen get off on weird fetishes.

It was an eye-opener to see how scoutmen did their pitch (director filmed actual scoutmen doing their thing) and how the young teens managed to hook up with their "clients". Especially with the economic bubble bursting, young women are increasingly becoming attracted to such industries, which is easy money.

The setting of this Japanese drama is interesting: The Japanese sex industry. However, the story that unfolds left me rather disappointed. What is it supposed to be? A subtle drama? A satire? A lovestory? A little bit of everything, I guess, but that's one of the reasons the movie lacks focus. I liked how Atsushi tries to convince passerbys to join a sex production, I liked following the adventures of Atshushi and Mari into the seedy underworld, but nothing really paid off. Nothing really happened. Yes there are some gripping moments, mainly involving Atsushis disgusting boss, but it's not enough to keep me interested for two hours.

I'll admit that I'd love to see a little bit more sex in the movie to spice it up. Plus, Kana shouldn't have sleepwalked through the entire film. As it is now, it just didn't do it for me.

Rating: 5/10