Noriko's Dinner Table

Director Sion Sono had done a film called, "The Suicide Club" that had an interesting story, but was just a mediocre movie. In fact it had seemed like there were holes in the story. This film pretty much fills in all the holes and has so much more added on. This movie is almost three hours long and jam packed with dialog. But really good dialog. It almost had a poetic feel to it. This is called semi-sequel, but actually it more or less takes place during the other movie. This film is listed as a horror film. But it is not the gore fest that "The Suicide Club" was. The movie had no scare factor at all. But mentally it was creepy. Two sisters run away from home and get into a business where others rent them to be part of their family. The creepy part is that they take on different names and personalities and they get so use it, they become these alternate people. It really does give the movie a creepy warped feeling at parts. The sisters are played by Kazue Fukiishi; who is a nerdy type girl who becomes more open with her other personality. Then you have Yuriko Yoshitaka; who basically turns into someone else, but mostly stays the same personality wise. The girl who runs the business is played by Tsugumi who has the most warped mind in the film. She loves role playing in these families because she never had one. She likes it so much, it is like she is trying to find the perfect family to stay with. The movie does run a bit long, but in some ways it is worth it because the words spoken and the meaning behind the movie are pretty powerful.

A sequel to 2002's cult-status film "Suicide Club", director Sion Sono's "Noriko's Dinner Table" tells the compelling and profound tale of the collapse and reconstruction of the family unit. The story follows Noriko Shimabara (Kazue Fukiishi), a seemingly unhappy teenager who lives with her mother, father, and younger sister. To escape reality, Noriko begins to regularly visit the internet site Haikyo.com, a BBS where she begins to chat with other girls just like her. One of the girls, known only by the title "Ueno54", persuades Noriko to runaway to Tokyo so they can meet in person. Noriko willingly accepts and escapes to Tokyo, wherein she meets the real person behind the mysterious Ueno54 and learns her true name—Kumiko (Tsugumi). What Noriko soon discovers is that Kumiko operates a "family-circle" program, which specializes in taking in young girls and giving them new personalities and families…

With the release of "Suicide Club", a film that explored the disastrous effects that an enigmatic cult had on an entire population of youth, director Sion Sono not only created a memorable horror film, but also provided some social commentary on Japanese youth. And while it was effective in what it was trying to convey, many viewers considered it a gory, albeit somewhat intelligent film. Sono decided to take a different route with "Noriko's Dinner Table", this time around taking out the unnecessary gore and replacing it with a more introspective stance. The film is split up into various chapters, each dedicating ample time to the film's characters. While this might seem distracting for a film such as this, it does the exact opposite—the first-person narrative of the characters allow the viewer to understand some of the decisions they choose, why they choose them, and what they hope to arrive at after the decision has been made. It's through these narrative perspectives that provided the truly captivating moments throughout the film, wanting to see the outcome of characters I have gotten to know.

Probably one of the strongest elements of the film is the cast. Since Sono's attention to detail is so prevalent in this film, the cast had to be right on the mark. And they do a remarkable job. The highlight of the film is Kazue Fukiishi. Her portrayal of Noriko is a sight to behold and her transformation from being a stubborn, rebellious teen to an overzealous, rather detached individual is masterfully done. Noriko's family—her father played by film veteran Ken Mitsuishi and younger sister played by Yuriko Yoshitaka—are fantastic in their respectable roles as well. Actress Tsugumi in her portrayal as the chilling and austere Kumiko also brings to mind the exceptional acting talent so vividly on display here.

While "Suicide Club" showcased a telescopic overview of the shadowy "Suicide Circle" cult, which showed the cult's negative influence on numerous individuals, "Noriko's Dinner Table" portrays, rather successfully, how the mysterious cult affects a single family. It's a film that touches upon various contemplative societal issues such as individualism, family structure, alienation, and mind control on an enormous scale. With the release of "Suicide Club" a few years back, director Sion Sono had something to say. With "Noriko's Dinner Table", he takes it a step further, raising questions to issues that are relevant and meaningful today. A totally absorbing experience, I highly recommend it.

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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.

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.

First, I will just state a few things about the movie before I give my review and comments.

-Yes, this is a continuation of sorts of the story started in Jisatsu saakuru (Suicide Club). -No, this is not a "horror" film, at least not in the modern sense. -Yes, as is stated, this is a long movie, and requires an open mind, and patience

It has been stated on several reviews of the first film that it meant to serve as a social commentary on the overly complacent stance taken by the general public in modern Japanese society. Whether that is true or not, the first film had a perfect blend of twisted "horror" imagery, with a stark use of satire. While the first one left many questions unanswered at the end, this entry into the series not only answers some of those questions, but opens new ones.

Shion Sono shows one again that not conforming to any convention can be a refreshing thing. This time around, he shows us a new story, not focusing on characters living through the main events of the story, but rather events taking place before, during, and after the events of the first film. This is all done with a much slower pace this time around, and focuses more on emotions and thought of the characters, rather than focusing on the events themselves. Most of the story itself is told though the narration of the four main characters, as they share their perspective of the events they are seeing. This gives a very intimate feel, though some may feel that the characters give a little too much detail.

This film leaves the big events of the series and instead focuses on little moments, moments that the characters share with others, or with themselves. The fact that this movie focuses more on emotions is what makes this movie shine. The performances are simply amazing. Using mostly lesser known Japanese actors, Sono has drawn out some of the most emotionally draining and shocking scenes in recent memory, and by the end of the film it is hard to think that these actors aren't all seasoned professionals. The film feels very real, and has a somewhat low budget home movie quality to it. This is the same quality that is given to many TV movies in japan. The effect is a movie that is stripped down to the basics, and is at some points very intense and hard to watch.

This is not "Suicide Club 2". There are no pop songs, or flashy Ziggy Stardust-type moments. at times this may feel like it is worlds away from the first film. For those that are looking for a good, emotionally charged film that builds on conventions and story-pieces that were started in the first film, I would whole-heartedly suggest seeing this film. It is not for everyone, and to some it may be frustrating. This is a movie for those that want to ponder a mystery much greater than any murder; inter-family relationships.