kitano's dolls

Dolls, my second Takashi Kitano film. My first Kitano film was The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi. Kitano's films are known for its gritty violence. We see Kitano's softer side in Dolls, as he presents three somewhat tragic and sad tales.

Dolls (Takeshi Kitano, 2002) - 9/10

The film includes three different stories intertwined together. In the first story, Matsumoto (Hidetoshi Nishijima) decides to marry a more successful bride over Sawako (Miho Kanno). Sawako's failed suicide attempt leaves her with the mind of a child. Matsumoto abandons the marriage to take care of Sawako. A red rope -- tied and connected to each other -- keeps them closer as they wander through parks, roads, forrests, and hills. A Yakuza boss, Hiro (Tatsuya Mihashi), after over 30 years seeks to find his long lost girlfriend whom he abandoned -- who promised to wait for him in a park until his return. A once successful pop star, Haruna (Kyoko Fukada - a real Jpop star) is left bandaged after a car accident. Her most devoted fan, Nukui (Tsutomu Takeshige), whose dream is to meet her finally gets the chance only after he's blind.

Each story is not told in succession, which is a good thing because I prefer the first story over the second and third. Kitano manages to take on a different style and approach with beautifully shot images. It is a film that stays with you after it ends.