Noriko's Dinner Table

After seeing "Suicide Club", I approached this film with some trepidation. However, this is not "Suicide Club 2". Its a story of two sisters Noriko and Yuka, who live with their parents in Toyokawa, a sleepy seaside town. Mousy Noriko is unhappy with this existence and runs away to Tokyo. There she meets Kumiko, who runs a fantasy service in which young ladies act as daughters for lonely men, amongst other things (the "family rental" concept is a great idea for this film). Yuka eventually runs away also, and does the same thing. Their father pieces together clues as to their whereabouts and doing and goes to Tokyo to find them. First of all, the settings are excellent. Like New York City and London, you see Tokyo in all its glory, neon etc. The story itself is also great, flowing & unfolding slowly until it reaches an explosive climax. However, that would only make a good film if the acting was merely adequate. The acting is uniformly superb. Kasue Fukiishi plays Noriko so well, you don't realize she's acting. Likewise, Yuka (Yuriko Yoshitaka) and Kumiko (Tsugumi) also give great performances. This film is much more psychological than "Suicide Club", and for that it shines. I was almost breathless through parts of this, and I watched it on DVD. Its only recommended you watch "Suicide Club" first, buts it not essential, to get the gist of this powerful film. Who expects any film that is labeled a sequel to be much better than the first? I so highly recommend this film. It is actually one of my favorites. I expect great things from the three young actresses in this film. Based on their performances in this film, especially Ms. Fukiishi's, I know I will not be disappointed.

If enjoy for example, the filmography of Takashi Miike but want something a bit more sophisticated I would advise you this is a must see. On the spectrum of those type of 'shock films', I would actually rate this a 10 star rather than an 8. It is probably the most disturbing Japanese film I have seen, and despite what the movie poster suggests, that is accomplished without any graphic depictions of sex, violence, or gore (excluding the last scene). All this to say, it is a very intense movie that left my jaw hanging open throughout the entire viewing thinking "What the f***? What am I watching?". Great movie!

Love it or hate it, 'Noriko's dinner table' is oddly fascinating. Technically both a prequel and sequel to Sion Sono's much more grisly 'Suicide Club,' there are definite connections, and 'Noriko' works to fill in some gaps in the narrative writing of the 2001 film. At the same time, this readily seems like a strong standalone feature, with greater weight and meaning beyond visceral shock and loose threads - this is much less a thriller than it is a psychological drama. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, but it has a feel all its own, and is peculiarly grabbing.

Far be it from me to employ a tawdry metaphor, but the story in 'Noriko's dinner table' makes me think of a sandwich. What initially impresses as the superficial plotline is reaffirmed more concretely in the end, and between these bookends is considerable substance that truly makes this film what it is. The tale begins as teenager Noriko, feeling uneasy and out of place with her life and family, runs away from home to meet an otherwise unknown acquaintance from an Internet bulletin board, and to seek her own way. It's a simple beginning, but where the narrative goes from there is distinctly captivating. Scenes play out with the actors also narrating the course of events and providing characters' inner thoughts, only further ingratiating the picture to us with its particular style.

With each fiber that comprises the narrative, there's a measure of subtlety to the active plot, while themes of 'Noriko' are much more plainspoken. The movie explores the idea of the lies we live, and what that does to us; the lies we choose, that we find meaningful; disconnection from family, from society, or from our own persons; and in the midst of it all, finding ourselves - or, alternatively, losing ourselves. It's filled with ideas of empathy, and what we can be for other people. More underhandedly, 'Noriko' also touches on notions of everyone and everything having a purpose - how discovering and fulfilling that purpose can bring true happiness, and be gainful in a very existential and philosophical sense. That all these concepts are tied into the darker, more foreboding aspects of the story makes us question ever more deeply what they mean for us.

This is also where it's especially worth mentioning 'Suicide Club,' because 'Noriko' is intended in part to round out some details of its predecessor. In the themes of this feature, and to a smaller extent in elements of the narrative, it does provide us a more complete image of what Sono was doing with 'Suicide Club.' Even so, when more predominantly considering the latter, adding 'Noriko's' contributions into the very mixed bag that the bloodier flick represents also serves to further confuse its plot. Its an unfortunate cycle - the facets of this movie that would bolster its antecedent, failing to fit neatly, then also consequently dampen the narrative here with their inclusion. In whatever ways one ties into the other, that 'Noriko's dinner table' broadly stands so well on its own somewhat magnifies the weaknesses and lesser coherence of 'Suicide Club,' and the kickback with their link is not advantageous.

There are definite deficiencies with this picture, also including camerawork that I don't necessarily find impressive. Yet the broad narrative writing is solid, and fantastic. So it is with the characters, too, and while a little hit or miss, the assembled cast is overall pretty swell as they inhabit their roles. Kazue Fukiishi is a solid lead as chief protagonist Noriko, capably realizing the girl's dissatisfaction, confusion, and shifting sense of identity. Yuriko Yoshitaka, portraying Noriko's younger sister Yuka, demonstrates able skill in a character arc that somewhat mirrors the protagonist's. I'm personally most taken with Tsugumi, who as Kumiko embodies a part requiring notable range, poise, and force of personality, and she deftly maneuvers the nuance. To emphasize these three is hardly to discredit anyone else involved though, and it's also worth mentioning the contributions behind the scenes of hair, makeup, costume design, and set decoration. Everything in this movie looks pretty great to these eyes.

Having watched Sono's 'Suicide Club' and found it enjoyable but wanting, and being vaguely aware of the association with 'Noriko's dinner table,' I wasn't sure what to expect. But I'm genuinely, pleasantly surprised. It's a little bit uneven, and not altogether perfect, but much more so than not it's admirably well-written. While the execution sometimes falters, most scenes are wonderfully orchestrated. The end result is a film that's engaging, entrancing, and not just satisfying, but rewarding. The story and characters are rich and enticing, focal points of a movie I'm happy to say I confidently recommend. If marginally imprecise, 'Noriko's dinner table' is a fun, warped, and pleasing feature, well worth seeking out.

I used to think of myself as (among other things) a cinephile, someone who had a taste for good cinema, whose Favorite Movies list was topped by some little known films. But I had seen nothing until Noriko's Dinner Table. I haven't seen Suicide Club yet. I hope to see it soon, but in truth it doesn't matter: right now I consider Noriko's my new absolute "best movie ever" and that doesn't depend on what it's part of or what other films has ever directed its author.

There are personal reasons behind that election, of course, but then, isn't every election personal, and what other meaning could hide behind the word "My" in "My Favorite Movies"?

Of course my familiar history or situation is or was extremely confusing, unstable, unhealthy, and unusual. But, maybe roleplaying is more than Japan's main existential issue. Maybe it's our entire culture's main existential issue. "The actor behind the mask", as in "Riding Alone for Thousand of Miles". The hidden heart, clouded in fat and entertainment and busy-ness, entangled in meaningless liasons that produce meaningless families; the confused heart that can only be brought out (exorcised) using a knife. And a camera.

The movie is divided into chapters, one for each of the main characters. And thus the viewer can achieve what the characters themselves can't: understand other people's motives and feelings.

This is my first review BTW, and will probably be the last. I'm not into sharing my views or anything like that... But in this case the impact was extreme and the reviews here weren't doing it justice so far.

Well. Its a very long film; at around 3 hours I guess, and at times it does feel like ...it could have been a little sharper. But I don t begrudge the length: unlike some movies, where the coyote syndrome starts to cut in, I didn't t feel like chewing off my leg once. The movie is a companion piece to the very excellent Suicide Circle But those expecting the same extraordinary images of the first film might be disappointed: this is a (mostly) slow moving and introspective study of identity, the roles that we play, and that others and society impose upon us. 17 year old Noriko runs away from her seemingly loving family to Tokyo where she meets the chilling Kumiko; a woman with no individual existence. What follows is profound and, at times highly unnerving as the personalities of Noriko, her younger sister Yuka, and their family are all annihilated. The performances of all of the actors is outstandingly committed; I cannot believe that the last set piece of this movie could have been shot in more than one take; the strain on the actors must have been unimaginable. This is big, grownup cinema, don t expect explanations, don t expect to understand all of what takes place I sure as hell don t. Do however expect to be awed by the sheer daring of this wonderful piece of work and the brave actors, who are called upon to give performances of such extraordinary power. You might love this move, you might hate it, but you sure as hell won't forget it.