A New Love in Tokyo

A New Love in Tokyo is a bit uneven and could have been cut a bit. However, and especially if you are a fan of the brilliant photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki, this is the film to watch. Araki is credited with the story, if not the script, and the film seems to reflect the photographer’s interests. The man himself appears cheerfully as the wonderful Sawa Suzuki, cracking her whip. Throughout this free-flowing film, Araki’s black and white photographs highlight different scenes and at times it almost feels like a film based on those stills.

On one hand, there is a sex agency where a number of girls provide various services, including SM from the aforementioned lovely Sawa. On the other hand, there is an ambitious group of actors who are both practicing their craft and rehearsing for an upcoming production. There is a lot of crossover and we see a variety of ‘actors’ in their real-life jobs, including call girls and police officers, often practicing their lines as they go. There is also a lot of sex and SM in the show but there are also more tender and humorous moments. The level of fusion may be too much for some but as long as you don’t mind edgy cinema, there is definitely something here for everyone.