Air Doll

As a fan of the new wave of quirky Japanese films, I'm happy to take a punt on most things. And the description of this film is pretty far out there. An inflatable sex doll comes to life and engages in a bittersweet romance. But that is not what I found and Amazon's description is a little misleading and does not do the film justice. This is not quirky pink skin flick stroke love story; instead it is a very serious and sad art film about the meaning of life. Given my own surprise, I thought I might write a few words to let you know what you get. This film is a low budget one with an art house aesthetic. It is slow, claustrophobic, and quiet. The only special effect - a very minor one - is saved for the final scene and it is very understated. Instead, the film is an exploration of the meaning of life, love, loss, and loneliness. It is a thoughtful, philosophic film that forces you to think about your own life. The story is very straightforward. An inflatable sex toy comes to life and enters the world as a young adult, but in a childlike state with no education or understanding of matters. She tries to make sense of things, but is seduced by the beauty surrounding her. Anything new and unusual catches her attention. After this initial fascination, she meets a range of people who help her reflect on the purpose of living. The film gets darker and darker in its contemplative mood and by the end, I found it heart breaking and deeply moving. One of the saddest films I've seen in many years. In case you're wondering, there is a healthy dose of mainly female nudity and sexual intercourse throughout the film, but no front bottoms. It seemed appropriate given the subject matter and had a naturalistic and unself-conscious feel. I thought the level of nudity was well judged because it gave you a genuine sense that you are watching real `people' and real events. This film really took me by surprise. I was expecting a quirky pink movie, but instead saw a very serious and reflective art house film about the meaning of life. It left me quite moved thinking about serious themes in my own life. I'm not quite sure I know what the film's message is, but the strength of the film is that I'm still thinking about it.

Soft porn. I wondered whether it could be classed as science fiction, but in the end I think it is the sofest of soft porn. It is about a blow-up sex doll for men that comes to life. The female protagonist is indeed beautiful to behold and a very good actress. The men are also, I think, very good actors. At the same time I wandered between giving it three stars or four stars. It was never going to be five stars because it just isn't good enough. There was something of Toy Story about Air Doll in that it is about a sex toy coming to life. There was also something of Blade Runner about Air Doll in that Nozumi, the Air Doll, ceases to be a doll, comes to life, and goes to meet her creator, a guy who makes Air Dolls. Toy Story and Blade Runner are much better films. It is an adult film. No genitals (male or female) are shown, but it is definitely not family viewing. Could it have been made more like, for example, Our little sister by the same director, Hirokazu Kore-eda? Yes, and I think that it would have been better for it. There is social commentary to be made, both good and bad. The first stereotype is the middle-aged bloke in the shabby apartment who buys a cheaper model sex doll. It might surprise people to know that the only sex doll that I have ever come across in real life was in a male hall of residence where the average age of the lads must have been in the low twenties. The next stereotype is when the female protagonist is shown a doll that has been beaten about the face. First, some women do physically hit their menfolk. Second, the source of much domestic violence is actually the woman. I have come across plenty of men who have had to come out of an abusive relationship and who have gone on to remarry and where everything has been fine, ie the source of the problem had been the woman. The third stereotype in Air Doll is that it seems that only men want / think about sex. I am a man, but I have it on good authority, Mr Kore-eda, that women do want, do think about, and do voluntarily indulge in, sex. The fourth stereotype in Air Doll is the older male boss imposing himself sexually on the young attractive female employee. There is a bit in this scene that Hirokazu Kore-eda hasn't thought through, because after the sex act Nozumi pulls out a sex doll vagina and washes it. Either the Air Doll has come to life, or it hasn't. Do men sit on park benches with their sex toy, or, in this case, what they still think is a sex toy? I have never seen it happen in real life, but Air Doll has such a scene. Difficult. Something of a depressing film with men protrayed in an almost relentlessly pathetic light. More Nobody Knows than Our Little Sister ... much more ... sadly ... because the basic concept of the doll coming to life with an adult body and a child-like innocence of mind is brilliant and the acting in this film is very good.

Very interesting Japanese film that I felt could have been so much better then it was. An old man buys a blow up rubber dolly, and then when he is out she comes to life and starts to explore the world, sometimes with tragic, sometime with very funny results. The performances are all that are required and the story nice enough, but it just never took a hold on me, which is a pity as I was looking forward to watching this for a long time. An OK film but that is about the best I can say about it, sorry

Beautifully acted and written, AIR DOLL is a fascinating depiction of a young woman who is reborn. I have watched many films over the years and have never seen anything quite like 'Air Doll' before. Without being exploitative or crude, the film uses the image of a blow-up doll to explore themes of love, sex and isolation in a powerfully human way. I was honestly reduced to tears by the end of the film. The final act is shocking and culminates the journey of a young woman who is ultimately searching for an answer - what does it mean to be loved? To be happy? To exist? She feels blessed with a physical change but she struggles to adapt to 'normality' and is endlessly seeking FULFILMENT. I am thrilled to have discovered this film. Doona Bae gives an award-worthy performance as a character with a dual identity, and the story is truly touching (and relatable on so many levels).

if you like to waste of the money then purchase this DVD .

This is one of those hidden gems. An excellent movie

Thanks

Derrière un scénario un peu simpliste et surréaliste, on découvre un portrait au vitriole des relations humaines dans le Japon actuel. Kore-Eda, toujours aussi fabuleux, nous livre la vie de cette poupée gonflable tellement plus humaines que les personnes qui l'entourent...

Ce film mélancolique (forcément, il est japonais) décrit avec un réalisme cru la condition de la femme au Japon. Elle est belle, immobile, se laisse faire sexuellement, et tous les soirs après l'acte elle va laver son vagin en plastique démontable dans le lavabo. Une déchirure dans la peau, elle se meurt tout doucement, puis elle colmate la brèche avec ses très jolies mains, et la voilà repartie. L'homme au moment de la posséder, joue à la dégonfler, la regonfler, c'est lui le maître. De nombreux clichés qui font de ce beau film bien réalisé une allégorie qui peut se voir à de nombreux niveaux. Entre autres c'est une belle description de la société japonaise, les temps de trajets très longs, les logements minuscules, l'homme qui cherche un peu d'amour n'est pas à blâmer finalement. Il y a un côté tragique dans ces destinées entremêlées où on sait qu'il ne peut y avoir de happy end. Néanmoins on est parfois proche du Tim Burton... et bien sûr de Pinocchio, version adulte. Que veut-elle, que veut-il? Pourquoi n'arrivent-ils pas à communiquer? Ce film fait réfléchir longtemps après. Pourquoi n'a-t-on pas droit au bonheur? Passer d'inanimé à animé est-il une bonne chose? La pensée est-elle une chose bonne en soi? Faut-il devenir adulte? Est-il négatif d'être esclave? Et surtout, l'image de cet homme sincèrement amoureux de sa poupée gonflable, l'amour peut faire des choses magiques. J'ai vu ce film il y a 3 semaines et j'y pense encore souvent, il m'a fait explorer des sujets que je n'appréhendais pas, je vous le recommande, de plus esthétiquement il est très beau.

J'espérais beaucoup de ce film, l'idée de base est vraiment bonne, une poupée qui s'éveille à la vie et découvre la ville, Cela aurait pu être merveilleusement poétique. Mais non, ce film trop long oscille en permanence entre rêverie (c'est le côté positif) et l'obscénité et les poubelles de la ville. Quel dommage.