It's been a long time since a film burrowed so deep under my skin and just stayed there. This is easily Takashi Miike's best, and most unsettling, film to date, and he does it (mostly) without all the 'goo' he's normally associated with.
An aging business man decides (after some prodding from his son) that he should start looking at re-marrying. Being a middle-aged business man makes it hard for him to simply go out and meet girls, so his friend (a film producer) comes up with the idea of holding an audition for a quasi-real movie that he can use to meet some women. None of the applicants interest the man, except for one. A lovely young girl that seems all to perfect to be real. The man begins to court her, despite is friend's advice to the contrary, and soon discovers that she is nothing of what she seems to be and may be holding onto some very dark secrets.
Miike could not have structured the film better. Early scenes are full of levity and some quirky comical bits (many of the audition scenes are really funny), but as the film progresses the tone gradually moves farther from light to dark. The tone shift is so naturally implemented that it never feels sudden or out of place. By the time all surrealistic hell breaks loose the movie has you and won't let go.
For a character driven piece like this, even Miike's direction couldn't have saved it if the writing and acting weren't up to par. Fortunately they both exceed genre standards. You feel sympathetic for the business man, he is a lonely man and would appear to be a fine mate for most any girl. Yet, you also find yourself shunning him for his deceptive tactics. The girl is much the same way in generating mixed emotions; she is unnerving and just 'not right', but she seems so sweet and innocent that you really want the two of them to end up happy.
For want of not making this sound like some melodrama, read this; I have never heard two grown men scream so loudly watching a movie. I refuse to spoil anything about the scenes in question, but when they happen you'll know. Men will definitely find this freakier than women, but many of the scares work well without regard. Gore hounds might be disappointed though, as the film finds fear in a psychological way for the most part and avoids copious violence.
Enough praise can't be heaped upon this film, one of the best genre pictures ever and one of the scariest as well.
9/10
