Man, Woman and the Wall (2006) User Reviews

Infatuation or Menace?

[onionslinger · 7/10 · 23 August 2008]

A semi-odd film coming straight from Japan. But it ends up a being a fairly interestingly presented story, a film which offers more than one's preconceived notions. On a very low budget, Autuer director Masashi Yamamoto offers up an interesting tale about fantasy and reality told through the medium of a stalker, though two are involved, and the female of interest, none other than Adult AV star Sora Aoi. After viewing the film some could write this off as nothing but soft core adult entertainment. But this is where I believe, like many Japanese directors before, Yamamoto has blended in enough of an interesting plot to go beyond such a simple structure. There is actually an intriguing character study employed - in this case, which stalker will win (or lose) ..and why? What's the difference between a simple case of overly played infatuation and menace? Is there any?

This film is definitely not for everyone, especially for casual film go'er. There's enough skin, and two particular soft core scenes that should be satisfactory for those interested parties. This is actually the biggest flaw in my opinion due to the potential it attempts to erase. But it's reality, therefore I can only detract so many points. But for those that can handle it ..and the slightly unusual subject matter, I think there is enough of a thought provoking message to take back home with.

If you end up getting something out of this film then I would recommend a few others to seek out: Tokyo Trash Baby by Ryuichi Hiroki, Raw Summer by Keisuke Yoshida (which also stars Sora Aoi), Moonlight Whispers by Akihiko Shiota (just be wary of the Kino release as there is a problem with the DVD mastering which causes about a third of the film to be missed - grrrrr!)

Bit of an odd cocktail, but watchable (minor spoilers)

[werdnahall · 6/10 · 9 July 2010]

Watched this one on Netflix Watch-now, so didn't have many expectations. Intentionally or not, kind of an indefinable blend of styles. Turns up the erotic dial pretty high sometimes so that it starts to seem like one of those Japanese 'pink eiga' (think late night on Showtime), but it also throws in some humor, some action/suspense, large helpings of conversation, while mixing a reality TV feel at times with pure fantasy. Maybe the biggest 'never seen that before' aspect for me was having a guy who could both be a creepy voyeur type and a real social charmer. Not a combo I've seen. Some of the acting feels amateurish, and I can't say that the female lead ever comes across as much more than a nice-looking chick, but the film holds your interest regardless.

Eavesdropping gone Mad

[christopherhaan · 7/10 · 1 February 2010]

The plot of this modern, low-budget Japanese movie is about two young guys bugging the apartment of the same young hot chick. The main twist to the plot is that one guy is actually the boyfriend of the woman at the same time that he is secretly bugging her place, and the other guy lives in the apartment right next door. Over time there are strange discoveries, fantasies thwarted, and ingenious methods used to win over the girl. Although the movie starts out with a pretty dull premise, the full plotting of the movie makes it an above-average film. In between the plot, the film highlights the struggles of young, hip, urban, crazy Japanese life. It shows that creativity and idiosyncrasies can be found behind any facade, any place, any country.

Stalker vs. stalker

[lazarillo · 21 April 2011]

A man moves into an apartment and realizes his neighbor is an attractive young woman (Aoi Sola). Since this a Japanese movie, instead of conventionally romancing her, he starts electronically eavesdropping on her through the wall, masturbating as he listens to her take a shower or have sex with her boyfriend. He finally conspires to meet her by "accidentally" having a care package sent to her house. Eventually he learns that she has another stalker, strangely enough her own boyfriend, who has wired her apartment with video and is making scary, obscene calls to her (after which she inevitably invites him over for some hot sex). The two stalkers begin "competing", but it's a rather weird competition since the boyfriend actually WANTS the shy introvert to sleep with his girl, as long as he does it on camera, and the introvert seems most comfortable maintaining his "audio voyeur" masturbation routine. Of course, in real-life a woman would probably be most comfortable not be stalked at all, but the girl here eventually settles on one of her two perverted suitors. . .

This is actually a pretty superior Japanese "pink" movie in that it would be pretty entertaining even WITHOUT Aoi Sola getting butt-naked every ten minutes, but of course she does that too. Sola, a former AV starlet, also played a "teenage" stalking victim in "Raw Summer", a similarly weird but much darker film that almost makes this look a sappy romantic comedy. This is NOT a sappy romantic comedy though, thank god, and while it's not totally believable, it does perhaps make a serious statement on the relationship between the sexes and the alienation in modern-day Japanese society. I also like the final scene where you get see something--totally sans optical "fogging"--that you rarely see in Japanese movies (which I always find odd in the country that invented schoolgirl "tentacle-rape" movies).

This is definitely worth seeing.

prejudice about Japan turned art-house movie

[dragokin · 6/10 · 20 April 2013]

This one got me by surprise. Although it plays on some general misconceptions, if not prejudice, about Japanese, it offers a very interesting take on human relations.

A guy moves into an apartment and meets an attractive neighbor living in the flat next to his. He becomes obsessed with her and stalks her with some audio equipment.

With time we meet her boyfriend who is a control freak. It is not clear whether he simply stalks the girlfriend or whether it is their role play, yet she is submissive and accepts the relationship as it is.

So, there are two guys stalking a girl, but only one can win her heart.

Quirky, amusing, original and fun

[grandmastersik · 8/10 · 28 September 2013]

When Ryo, a journalist, moves into a new flat, the paper-thin wall separating them grants him access into the life of his cute, down-to earth neighbour.

As curiosity gives way to spying, so too does his loneliness become obsessive, as she becomes almost a scientific study project... but soon, mere stalking isn't enough, and he wants to get to know the girl who lives behind the wall.

As they become closer though, Ryo is confused as to his feelings, unable to connect the bubbly woman he considers a friend, with the faceless, fantasy one who lives the other side of the wall.

Voyeurism, romance, bizarre sexual kicks... if you want to see something different, fresh and surprisingly unoffensive, given its perverse theme, then I would recommend this.

The best film venturing "off-the-beaten-track" that I've seen in a long time.