Nettai rakuen kurabu
Straight-laced, honest Japanese travel agent Misuzu gets a job as a tour guide so that she can the world. On her first assignment in Bangkok, Thailand she does her best for her ungrateful charges, but gets fired when the hotel (through no fault of her own) misplaces all their passports. She also finds herself the victim of a scam by two Japanese con-artists (innocent-looking Tondabayashi and half-Thai Thuy) living in Bangkok. When the hotel finds the passports, she decides to buck the system and sell them on the black market. She teams up with the two con-artists to scam, rip off and rob all the Japanese tourists in Bangkok. They keep trying to pull off bigger and bigger jobs, and end up in trouble with two dumb, sightseeing yakuza, among others. Also, a love triangle forms as Tondabayashi falls for Misuzu, and Misuzu falls for the older Thuy.
Insights
Plot Summary
A secluded group of young men, seemingly detached from society, live in a dilapidated house. Their existence is marked by boredom and a disturbing fascination with a young woman named Sayoko. As their obsession intensifies, their actions descend into increasingly violent and depraved territory, blurring the lines between reality and their twisted desires.
Critical Reception
The film received a mixed to positive reception, particularly noted for its unsettling atmosphere and raw portrayal of adolescent alienation and perversion. While some critics found its subject matter challenging and its execution bleak, others praised its unflinching exploration of dark themes and Shiota's directorial vision.
What Reviewers Say
- Praised for its disturbing and visceral depiction of psychological horror.
- Criticized by some for its bleak and uncomfortable subject matter.
- Acknowledged for its unique and unsettling directorial style.
Google audience: Information not readily available for Google user reviews.
Awards & Accolades
None notable.
Fun Fact
Akihiko Shiota, known for his dark and psychological films, made 'Tropical Cold-Skin Club' early in his career, establishing his distinctive, often disturbing, cinematic voice.
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