Map of the Sounds of Tokyo / KIKUCHI Rinko

To be honest, I am not familiar with the works of Spanish director Isabel Coixet. This film caught my attention because it cast KIKUCHI Rinko in the role of a mysterious woman who works at the famous Tsukiji Fish Market by day and moonlights as a contract killer at night. I have been a fan of Kikuchi long before Babel when she appeared in a few independent films in her native Japan; at the time she was going by a different name as well. Her award winning performance propelled her onto the international stage though back at home she continues, most likely by preference, to take on roles in smaller films and has yet to be cast in a lead role by any of the major studios. Her upcoming filmography is also squarely centered on international productions with a role in Mikael Håfström's Shanghai, a Japanese remake of the film Sideways, and Anh Hung Tran's adaptation of Murakami Haruki's best selling novel, "Norwegian Wood." Of course, she will also appear in Rian Johnson's The Brothers Bloom which I will touch on in a moment.

Returning to Map of the Sounds of Tokyo, reception at Cannes was particularly frigid. This really means nothing to me (see previous post) other than to make me more curious to see this work. I think expectations about a "hitman film" were again dashed prompting the ire of the critics. Initial impressions seem to paint the film as far more abstract, possibly inaccessible, and obtuse on the part of Coixet. Whether this is true or not will be left to my viewing of it only, suffice it to say that the synopsis itself does not paint the film as straightforward:

Ryu is a solitary girl whose fragile appearance is in stark contrast with the double life she leads, working nights at a Tokyo fish market and sporadically taking on jobs as a hit-woman.

Mr Nagara is a powerful impresario mourning the loss of his daughter Midori, who has committed suicide. He blames David, a Spaniard who runs a wine business in Tokyo.

Mr Nagara's employee, Ishida, was silently in love with Midori and hires Ryu to murder David.

A sound engineer, obsessed with the sounds of the Japanese city and fascinated with Ryu, witnesses this love story which searches the shadows of the human soul, reaching deep into places where only silence has the power of eloquence.

In fact, the set up seems distinctively ensemble, most likely gravitating toward a film that attempts to express the various textures of the city in which it is set, as the title seems to suggest. And if one visits the official site, you will hear a song that certainly does not cater to those whose tastes lean toward popular music; its mix of various musical genres including the torch-song stylings of singer Stefanie Ringes and its languid rhythm set the mood for a film that will certainly not take conventional routes. I would normally post a trailer with this article, but there is a portion of it that is strongly R-rated which will probably find the ire of Google Inc., but you'll find it on the previously linked official site.



One could not compare Kikuchi's role in Map of the Sounds of Tokyo to that of the character of Bang Bang in The Brothers Bloom. Though she plays the "muscle" for the sibling con-men, it is almost entirely a silent role. Yet, Kikuchi still manages to hold her own in scenes with Adrian Brody, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel Weisz. In fact, word is she is an absolute scene stealer in certain parts. Johnson certainly could have cast anyone he wanted, so it is very interesting that he chose Kikuchi. The non-speaking nature of the role was certainly serendipitous to the fact that her English is probably not of native speaking quality, but he most certainly believed in her ability to act. Considering Johnson's ability for unique and original stories, there is no doubt that he saw a quality to Kikuchi that would bring life to the character he wrote. It's an old-fashioned "caper" film, one that should not be missed:



There are certainly a great number of highly skilled actresses in Japan, some of whom have very good English skills, and others who have "star" looks. What I think sets Kikuchi apart from her contemporaries and why she is popular abroad is due to her risk taking. She has no "image" to protect at home and her filmography is rich with varied roles that build her skills. Meanwhile, a good percentage of Japanese actresses are models, idols, or singers-turned actress (some juggling all three!) cast not because of their skill, but for their ability to appeal to a target audience. They are cast in consistently very similar roles from television dramas to films in order to maintain their ability to move cosmetics, CDs, how-to books, etc. They could never have taken on a role such as the one in Babel without risk to their dutifully fabricated image. As for the small percentage of "genuine actresses," I am at a loss as to why more are not entering the international scene other than they either have no interest or suffer a type of performance anxiety of having to work and act with foreign staff and actors. It's a shame really, but as the saying goes, "fortune favors the bold."