Torso (2009) Toruso
Torso (2009)
DVDRip | MKV | 720x392 | x264 @ 1965 Kbps | 103 min | 1,56 Gb
Audio: Japanese (日本語) AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps | Subs: English (embedded in MKV)
Genre: Art-house, Drama
DVDRip | MKV | 720x392 | x264 @ 1965 Kbps | 103 min | 1,56 Gb
Audio: Japanese (日本語) AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps | Subs: English (embedded in MKV)
Genre: Art-house, Drama
Director: Yutaka Yamazaki
Writers: Yutaka Yamazaki (screenplay), Yûki Satô (screenplay)
Stars: Sakura Andô, Sora Aoi, Yûko Genkaku
A seemingly "normal" office worker Hiroko (Makiko Watanabe) has a secret. At home she lives with a prosthetic torso - no head, arms or feet, just body and male private part. Hiroko bathes with the torso and she also makes love with the torso at night.
Hiroko's secret life is interrupted when her outgoing sister Mina (Sakura Ando) rings her doorbell. Mina is running away from her abusive boyfriend and wants to stay at Hiroko's home …
You can't make films like this unless you have good actors.
Makiko Watanabe is so good in roles like this, and Sakura Ando is always good. There are many scenes of watching characters do nothing more than the mundane (or the weird, as in frolicking naked in the sea with a blow-up torso) – if the actor seems like they are going through a checklist of motions, it will fail.
I got the sense I was observing these characters free from any notion a film was being made. Beyond that, Torso transforms itself into a wonderful character study as the torso deflates. Do yourself a favor, forget the odd Torso bit (it symbolizes blah blah, etc.) and watch two of Japan's best actresses play sisters with baggage. There may be limited appeal but Koreeda's cinematographer does a great job in his directorial debut.
(click to enlarge)
Torso (2009) Toruso
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