Lost Girls and Love Hotels

"Lost Girls & Love Hotels" isn't as bad as its ratings suggest. I really liked the beginning-the cinematography, music, and atmospheric feel were captivating. There's an intriguing quality to the narrative that draws you in. However, as the story progresses, you start to wonder what you're actually watching. That's when I checked the ratings and read some reviews. I started to agree with some of the reviews on how depressing it was and all that. Since there were only 10-15 minutes of the movie left, I decided to finish it anyway. Surprisingly, the movie ended on a decent note. It's a different kind of film that may find its audience.

This is a movie with oddly dark and difficult subject matter. It was very well acted and is certainly a quality work of writing, production and direction. This is not a happy movie but certainly worth a watch. I haven't experienced a emotional effect like this in a movie since "9 and a half weeks" with Basinger and O'Rourke and there are several parallels. Having said that, in many other ways they are certainly not the same. I would recommend a watch just because it is well done and unique. Heed the R rating!

Right down to the main character being a teacher.

Writers with new ideas are obviously rare

Greetings again from the darkness. The temptation here is to compare director William Olsson's latest film to FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. While the two films do share the foundation of best-selling adult erotica novels, this film is darker and grittier, and doesn't treat the lead as a cartoon character. Catherine Hanrahan wrote both the novel and the screenplay, a likely contributing factor to the more grounded feel to the setting and characters.

Alexandra Daddario stars as Margaret, a young woman living on her own in Tokyo. She works days as an English "pronunciation" teacher at a Flight Attendant Academy. In the evening she imbibes at a local dive bar with other ex-pats (Carice van Houten, Andrew Rothney) before heading out under the neon lights in search of that night's partner at one of the "love hotels". Margaret is burning the candle at both ends to an extreme. Her alcohol intake would put most sailors to shame. Is Margaret looking for the meaning of life or just trying to forget? That's the question we spend most of the story trying to answer.

One day Margaret meets Kazu (played by Takehiro Hira), a dashing Yakuza (organized crime) member. She quickly falls under his spell, and the two have a lustful, fast-moving connection. Of course, traditions being what they are, the relationship can never be the same for Kazu as it is for Margaret. In other words, she finally found love, but with the wrong guy. Margaret as narrator offers up wisdom such as, "I tell myself there are no happy endings." "Things are ragged and messy." These sentiments perfectly describe her life.

Margaret is challenging to figure out. We feel her pain and confusion and desperation, though we never fully understand what's driving it. She's 'happy and sad', and more than just another pretty face. In fact, this dark world of loneliness and sex finds her starting in a bad place and then sinking lower. However, director Olsson and cinematographer Kenji Katori ensure the film is stylish and atmospheric, and no matter how ugly things get for Margaret, the film itself is quite something to look at.

This is a side of Tokyo we don't often see, and the love hotels are a sub-culture that set up perfectly for those who have lost hope or control of their life. The city seems to prey on some ... no matter how beautiful they are. Kudos to Alexander Daddario for taking on this role. She's been around for a while with memorable appearances in "True Detective" (Season One), SAN ANDREAS (2015), and BAYWATCH (2017). It's nice to see her go deeper and darker, and let's hope it opens up some new opportunities for her.

If you are here just for the nudity, you may very well be dissapointed. Not because it doesn't exist (it does and quite plentyful), but because this is not what the movie emphasises. It is about an emotionally detached and broken character. To feel something - if you have to go extreme, that might not be a good sign.

Daddarios performance in this is quite mesmerizing for so many reasons. The movie has its flaws and issues, but she really gives it her all. The vulnerability on display, the emotional rollercoaster ... it may not be fun to watch (I'd actually say it is anything but), but it quite the performance she gifts us with. Add to that the other characters and while the plot may be predictable, the way it is shot and the performances help the movie immensly.

Not an easy drama and it may bug you and annoy you a few times, but this is meant to be - life is an adventure - some make it even harder on themselves, especially when their cries for help are not recognized ...