Review A Bride for Rip Van Winkle

plsletitrain

Member: Rank 5
Given that I have the attention span of a kid, you wouldn't believe I watched this in one seating. I'm always late for everything and I think I'm the only one on here who hasn't watched this but what the heck, I think this movie deserves to be dissected like a frog dissection we did in Science class.

The almost 3-hour runtime was a bit of a downer, but I don't know what kept me up during those times. There's not much going on, no plot twists, no big drama, but it was still plot-driven. I think it has something to do with the lead character. Yeah, I think it is. She looks so fragile you'll wonder where she'll end up to at the end of the movie. Or maybe its the piano pieces that kept me up? Yeah, the piano pieces played here (and quite long at that) will take you to places and then you get back to yourself and say, Oh I almost forgot I have a movie to watch. Heh. I don't know if I was imagining things but I thought A Whiter Shade of Pale which is a personal favorite was given its version here and I just can't help but be more drama queen than the lead.

Actually, Rip Van Winkle doesn't appear until the second hour. So what happens before that? The miserable life a school teacher, who's a victim of bad judgment, was portrayed. She meets a certain Amuro whom she sought for refuge, and whom she trusted, all the while this Amuro is after all an actor-for-hire or a genie-for-hire (yeah, you tell him your concerns and he solves it using his gifted mouth). Our Poor Nanami (the fragile lead girl) was divorced, fired, disowned, name it. She then struggles to live her life.

So how does Rip Van Winkle enter the scene? Rip Van Winkle is the internet name used by Mashiro--an acquaintance met by Nanami who eventually became her friend. Amuro hired Nanami to be a house maid in an abandoned mansion, the other maid being Mashiro. An awkward lesbian love blooms here and eventually, the truth is revealed that Mashiro hired Nanami to be her friend during her last days (Mashiro is terminally illed--because everyone with cancer has to die--so she wished for a friend during her last days). Mashiro was also revealed to be a porn actress who was also disowned by her mother. There was a funny face-palmish scene in the end where the mother and Amuro went naked to show how embarrasing it is to become a porn actress.

Overall, I love the film. It is simple but I think the strength of the movie is the production values. Especially the lead girl (Haru Kuroki) who just looks like she can't hurt a fly and should thus experience nothing but happiness and pure love--she gave justice to her role of someone who just takes whatever life throws her. Kudos to Go Ayano and Cocco who both had their awkward, no, weird, no (I can't find the right word) eerie, spooky, portrayals--they acted like crazy individuals at one point or more.

The movie is melodramatic. The pacing is fine, not too slow. The music helped me through the runtime. The actors were perfect (except for Cocco who still gives me uncomfortable feels whenever I think of how she stares intently or laughs awkwardly while she's with Nanami).
 
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JepGambardella

Member: Rank 1
I remember the title from the Montreal Fantasia program a few years ago. It was on my high-priority list but I ended up not watching, for one reason or other - maybe it was sold out, or maybe I had to go out of town.

I will see if I can locate it. It sounds like it is something I would enjoy.
 

sitenoise

Member: Rank 5
I was disappointed with my initial viewing but remain an Iwai fan, and a Cocco fan. I became a Kuroki fan. Here's what I wrote back then:

Haru Kuroki
is beyond fabulous from beginning to end. Iwai, the director, should have found a couple actors to support her.

The first scene brought rain to the edges of my eyes. I'm a sucker for these depictions of Zenly enduring, kind and capable, ultra-feminine baby-talking pillars-of-strength Japanese women. Haru Kuroki nails it immediately and I know what I'm in for: This Charming Girl level character painting, only Japanese, which is better. Kuroki is humiliated from several angles and perseveres. Her world falls apart big and fast, culminating in a slow motion walk along the river pushing two suitcases accompanied by major melodramatic music to end the first act, at about the one hour mark. I hadn't noticed the soundtrack up to this point (which is a good thing, I think), but the scene is gigantic. It blew me away in its stylish gutsiness, I had to pause the film and catch my breath. I was fist pumping the air at how good this was going, already looking to place the film in the pantheon of great Japanese cinema.

In retrospect, the film should have ended right there, crescendo'd to the heavens, leaving me frustrated in love, begging for more. My two highest rated Iwai films are Undo and April Story, at 47 and 67 minutes respectively. Just sayin'.

So I come back to the flick and Kuroki's on a phone call, and then she starts walking again to big music. This time it feels obnoxious, Kurosawa-esque, and the film starts falling apart quickly.

Bottom line: you know an actor is in trouble when he brings gimmick to every scene: big complicated shoes, eating-acting, fashion statements above his pay grade, chewing gum. Gô Ayano is terrible here, looking for accents or spices to give his character some flavor, and becomes a constant distraction for the rest of the film.

Cocco isn't an actress. She a majorly intense personality. A couple big name directors highlighted her strengths in films about her. Iwai calls upon her to act, and drives the film off into the weeds making Acts II and III about her. She's Rip Van Winkle.

In Acts II and III, the slumber party style scenes go on way too long. The music is ridiculous in trying to add some whoopy-whoopy to nothingness. Go-go Man irritates in his attempt to be someone cool like Brad Pitt.

Iwai does Iwai very well. He has a mature mark, but doesn't seem to unpack his stories well. I don't even know what I'm watching any more as the film meanders into its third hour. Too many people giving too many long winded speeches, trying to find a poignancy, if not quiet. All things lead to an embarrassing scene with Cocco's mother, after a confusingly scripted denouement (what did she know and when did she know it) spoils any chance of redemption. Quiet poignancy made a few appearances but never took hold.
 

sitenoise

Member: Rank 5
Guess you won't be hunting down the 4 hour version of this one, then :emoji_wink:
I just noticed it's been released and pondered it for a moment. I think if there were more time allotted to people just sitting there and staring off into space I'd like it more. I don't like speeches too much. But as @plsletitrain mentions some of Cocco's starings gave her "uncomfortable feels". I'm a fan of hers and am happy Iwai gave her a chance.

Shucks ... the video I was going to post of her has been removed
 

plsletitrain

Member: Rank 5
While watching Cocco act, I saw her as like these:
1) She felt like your unpredictable catgirl classmate in high school who thinks its funny to show your panties to others or fart in public; OR
2) She was high. Yeah, she was definitely drugged while filming!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kidding!!!!!!

@sitenoise
Yeah I saw your review on IMDb. I'd chime in my review too for posterity. I didn't expect you wouldn't like this. And I also didn't expect you would become a Kuroki fan (she was acting the poor damsel-in-distress role very much). I knew you liked Cocco and I thought I might like her too. Too bad I didn't. I wish I could post a gif of how exactly I looked like while she was doing her scenes.
 
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