Customer Reviews

Audition

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

This asian romantic comedy-gone-wrong has a couple of neat and compelling ideas yet as a whole ends up being a disappointment. "Audition" tries to play with some conventions regarding the oriental female stereotyped role (shy, loyal and submissive women), delivering a strong and unexpected twist by the end of the movie. While this concept is somewhat interesting, the plot moves at a terribly slow and tiresome pace, being nothing more than flat mumbo-jumbo for about 3/4 of the movie.

This effort is forgettable and not very enticing for the most part, presenting a japanese romantic comedy (not very funny though) about a middle-aged man that makes an audition in order to choose an actress for a movie. Simultaneously, he`s also trying to find a girfriend in the process (and he manages to get one). "Audition" develops this scenario and suddently delivers a strong twist that provides some shocking and disturbing scenes, giving a new perspective into the protagonist`s recent (and apparently innocent and fragile) girlfriend.

Director Takashi Miike tries to raise subjects like the effects of isolation, the possibilty of love and the old "looks can be decieving" idea, yet this cinematic experience is flawed overall and just fails to convince. Sure, "Audition"`s last 20 minutes are strong and memorable material, still that doesn`t make for the unengaging and bland previous events.

An interesting failure.

I couldn't help but draw a relationship with Ringu 0. I'm probably sound ridiculous, but i felt the same way with this movie, at the end, that i did with Ringu 0. It seemed to me he loved her to the very end like in ringu 0, and hoping this never had to happen and it was all just a dream. I watched it at night thinking it was a horror flick, but in my opinion it was more freakish love than a horror film, yes i admit the scenes of chopped of tongues and fingers was a little scary, but i believe it was a weird love story....very weird....very...very...weird.

The other reviews will give you a description of what the film is about (though probably too much of one), so I won't dwell on the subject. It's a film that Should be seen and not described anyway. This Is one of my all time favorite films, so I am going to be incredibly biased. This film is excellent: Takashi Miike (the director) is perfectly in his element with this kind of film. The best way, I think, to describe this film is to say that Audition is to Japan, what Silence of the Lambs or Psycho is/was to America. The lead actress, Eihi Shiina, does a frighteningly great job in her film debut. Simply put, Audition is an awesome and exceptional film :).

Takashi Miike's Audition is a disturbing and at times confusing film. That being said, try to judge it for yourself while watching it, as the film takes you on an interesting and deceptive ride that plays on our definitions of film genres and cliche devices. In this respect Miike is not unlike Tarantino. He is a director who thinks outside of the box and seemed to recognize the potential in expressing himself with this story...and used this wisely to scare the hell out of me.

The story is about a widower who decides to finally begin a search for a new wife at the suggestion of both his son and his movie producer friend. But how will he find his new bride? Well, this man's friend is of course a filmmaker and he decides to hold an audition for this widower, so he can look for an attractive girl with a history in some kind of artistic discipline (i.e. dancing, piano, ballet etc.). Our protagonist possesses a handful of applications and must choose 30 girls to audition for a part in this faux movie. His friend agrees that he must find a girl who is happy to be his wife, and happy women are never good enough actors, so whoever he chooses will convincingly not be acceptable for this fake movie role to being with. However, contrary to his friend's advice our protagonist chooses a girl named Asami, who is profoundly unhappy. She used to be a ballerina but broke her hip and feels that having to quit something she loves can be paralleled to accepted death itself. Asami is not happy but she is an attractive 24 year old girl who has intrigued our hero and he more or less chose her before the audition happens anyway. The film takes a turn as we begin to see some hints as to what kind of person Asami is and all her mysteries are gradually revealed. Trust me when I say there is plenty about Asami to reveal.

Miike gives us a film that comes off as a Romantic Comedy in the first 80 minutes and then slowly transforms into a thriller/mystery kind of film, and then smacks us over the head with it's intense climax and conclusion that is shock, horror, gore and utter madness. Audition could've easily become a one-trick-pony in it's goal to play with our understandings of genres and what to expect, but it actually goes far beyond that and rarely gets credit for doing so. This is a very sharp film on many levels and in many ways. It is smart and surprising. I highly recommend this film to anyone willing and able to deal with it's violent content. I also see this as a gateway and introduction to Miike's films and other films like his. You shouldn't regret discovering this filmmaker.

I have heard people say this is exploitative but that is likely a judgement on Miike overall, as Audition is one of his few films that really isn't exploitative at all. In fact, in terms of `gore' films Audition is not even close to Ichi the Killer but it should be taken with a warning as it is still very violent and realistic. I don't think this film deserves beyond an R-rating when we take into account the violence portrayed in "The Passion of the Christ". The limits have been pushed enough to allow films like Audition wider release in the United States without forcing either an NC-17 or no rating at all. There is almost no nudity in Audition but the violence and torture is creepy and well beyond acceptable for children to view.

Audition illustrates how our expectations and interests color what we perceive. There seems to be a lot of debate about whether it's horror or romance, but really it's both - and an excellent example of both genres at the same time. I don't believe there's really a sucker punch here either, as it's clear throughout that something doesn't add up about the woman, and the man is too blind to listen to reason. What happens, though, is your emotional investment in the characters in the first two thirds of the film makes you hope against hope that there can be a happy ending. We're used to the Hollywood kid-glove treatment. The gore, violence, etc. isn't as bad as most reviewers would lead you to believe; watch Jack torture suspects on the USA television show 24, or see some episodes of Oz, and you'll find scenes as bad as this. What makes the snakes slither in your gut and bite your spleen is the emotionally crushing element, which - in this era of anything-goes desensitization - is a testament to Miike's directorial prowess. There's also a wonderfully bizarro sequence where Miike finally pulls out all the stops and plunges you into the pain, skillfully show you the what and why without "explaning" things in the typical dumbed-down Hollywood way. Audition is a must-see film, especially if you're into cross-genre work.

Is how I would describe this film, I heard the hype and thought as an afficianado, I am always open to new horror if it's not to cheesy, this was a character study and a really well done film as a result .despite the misogynistic leanings of the main character, he was sympathetically portrayed , and you wanted to see how his story would unfold, as far as horror goes, the horrific parts are actually in the last 15 minurtes and are very graphic and might disturb some A very good thriller, you will probably re watch .Acting is very good, pacing as well . The leads are very good, you are drawn to them when on screen. So watch and rewatch, this is a keeper where as something like "dead silence" , watch then sell it to cash converters !

I went into the viewing of this film with great anticipation since I'd heard how terrifically chilling it is. Although I will try and write about the film as a whole without giving away too much of the events, please be warned that some plot points may exposed.

However, as you may already know, the story centers around a single father(Aeyoama) that is considering the prospect of a second marriage; with his 16-yr old son's approval and recommendation, actually. After holding phony auditions, with the aid of his friend, to find the "perfect" girl, he is smitten as a kitten with a girl named Asami, and together they begin the courting process.

Too much time was spent in scenes where Asami proclaimed how happy she was that Aeyoama had called her for a date, or happy he called her, blah blah blah. I don't know how Aeyoama could not help but roll her eyes (I was!) after listening to her express that sentiment over & over, but hey, perhaps that is the type of complacency he was searching for in a wife? Originally, he'd picked Asami out of a stack of eligible partners as a result of the thoughts she had written down on her application. After meeting her though, it seemed like he became much more interested in her physical appearance. In one isntance, Aeoyama
compliments his son on the sexy young lass that followed him home from school that afternoon.

Eventually, she disappears and Aeyoama completely loses it, goes against his best friend's advice as well as his dead wife's warnings (in dreams) and goes to search her out, whatever the cost.

When she finally does reappear, Asami is no longer her shy bashful self. Instead, she is at the far end of the sensitive scale, to put it lightly. She inflicts pain on Aeyoama that can be expressed as the novel "Misery" times 100.

It seems as though the unspoken arrangement between torturer & torturee was written soon after Asami had gained Aeyoama's love for her. But apparently, this love was based on the love that Asami had been shown in her own life, as we are treated to scenes of Asami growing up & her studies of ballet. This is something that Aeyoama was not aware of, or probably failed to pick up on. It would be interesting to discover if he would have volunteered for the severe torture at the end of the film, had Asami asked; in comparison to Van Gogh's cutting off of ear. Apparently baking a cake for the loved one was not an option.

Anyway, there is a bit of confusion on this last idea since she is definitely getting her cookies out of the carnage she is inflicting; the idea being that she is the heroine and Aeyoama is the filthy "man" that uses and abuses females. She must phsyically alter him to represent the grotesque being he really is.

Very interesting ideas, very well adapted into film, but falls short in arriving at a conclusion of any kind. Some may view that as a plus, but I wanted Aeyoama to either accept responsibility for the violence infliced on him, or reject it.

It is probably the most awful, chilling, horrible movie ever made. You need nerves of steel to endure the tension and the horror. It is also a work of dark art like no other. Director Miike is a genius and a master of the creepy stuff. If you thought Brian De Palma was tough, well he was a choir boy compared to Miike.

The story was somewhat slow to develop, however did not lack on chilling scenes. The las 30 minutes were incredible. Buy it by all means, but be warned: it is at the verge of the unbearable. And it looks too real, if that is possible.

This movie is much more polished than Miike's other films; it's a professional movie with deliberate pace. I found it highly disturbing - Miike manipulates all elements of atmosphere in unison and focuses on creating that impact. The character of Asami is played quite intensely and deeply, and you can FEEL her psychosis. Trying to get past the indisputable shock value, I decided this movie transcends its vile subject matter by creating a real experience of its characters. Amazingly it never gives itself over fully to revelling in horror, and the movie ends with a hint of its initial soft and sad vibe.

A lot of people compare the dream sequences to David Lynch scenes, but I hardly understand Lynch yet I found these scenes pretty clear. It really seems that Miike is keeping his narrative accessible to ensure that the impact is not undermined by a misunderstanding of events. The whole movie uses foreshadowing and direct plot divulgence to create its tension.

WARNING, I AM ABOUT TO GIVE PLOT AWAY... When the guy is getting tortured and he lapses into a dream, only to wake up to the torture, it's far from indicipherable. Instead, it's visceral. I honestly was hoping to God that the torture was a dream myself, and was very unhappy to wake up to the torture reality. This movie does not require academic analysis to understand, yet it is very well-thought out.

After the death of his wife, producer Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) has thrown himself into developing his career and raising his son, Shigehiko (Tetsu Sawaki). When his son suggests that he remarry, Aoyama decides that it may finally be time to end his loneliness. A friend (Jun Kunimura) suggests that they arrange a fake audition so that he can meet prospective fiancées. He is captivated by Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), whose philosophical thoughts on living with loss mirror Aoyama's own feelings after the death of his wife (Miyuki Matsuda). He pursues a relationship with her with results that will shock all but the most desensitized viewer.

This is a powerful meditation on how loneliness and abuse can warp a human personality. As repulsive and horrific as Asami ultimately proves to be, it seems clear that director Takashi Miike feels sympathy for her and, in a weird way, I did, too.

Be warned: the last act of this film will test your tolerance for non-linear narratives.