Talented teeny Fumi Nikaidô is utterly believable (and beautiful) as Hana portraying the various age (from early teens to twenty something). Eye catching cinematography (the drift ice scenes and rain of blood sequence were awesome.) Subject matter is more creepy than shocking. Surprisingly for a R-rated Japanese film, the exploitative level was pretty average (although the knifing scene was rather gruesome and unnecessary) with Hana clothed during the anticipated love scene with Jungo (Tadanobu Asano). Nudity lovers will love Aoba Kawai's nakedness but the sex scenes were wintry. If you're into slow burn paced effort heightened by emotionally detached proceedings and characters with a flat and discombobulated denouement perfectly captured by Jungo reacting to Hana sly act, then this flick is for you.
6 Reviews
I give this film one big, fat "ugh"
missraze2 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I mean is there incest? Or just a taboo crossing of lines in theoretical father-daughter relationships? I don't like the winter tundra setting, because the characters are all bundled up the whole film and it's really impersonal. It's also unaesthetic to see them trekking through knee-high snowfall, and their red faces from the frigid cold, and the uneventful environment and uninspiring images and landscape because it's so snowy. The beginning looked like a war film, the ending looked like a romance film in Tokyo. There was too much sex throughout, but one good sex scene because suddenly the blood trickles down to symbolize sin, I guess. So I suppose they really were father and daughter, biologically. Which makes it disturbing, but the lacking dialogue, scenery, plot and the overly sexual charge of the film make the purpose completely ineffective. In fact I'm not sure what the purpose was. Which is fine if there isn't one, it's not the end of the world. The issue isn't the long sex scenes, where symbolism was tied in to justify the sex and length; it's the fact that the rest of the film was so vapid, in my eyes. It almost makes the purpose, sex. If you want to see softcore porn and father-daughter, look here. If not, don't. If you want to see a good film, don't come here.
I mean I guess the scene where the dude kills the other dude because he worried the secret(s) would come out was...kind of riveting (so +6 stars from 0 stars), albeit a head-scratching crescendo from 50 minutes of winter, boring scenes and sex beforehand. So -6 stars from the 6 lol. Now we're back to 0 stars; I just don't see why the dad killed him. They tried to say he was desperately lonely and the girl he adopted was all he had (supposedly it was his real daughter all along and she knew); so if she gets arrested for *what she did* (not going to say what), he'd be alone, but eh, not developed well.
The leading guy also has very tiny lips so I can't even get turned on watching this. Like at least be gorgeous. But I won't take away any stars for that since I didn't watch for eye candy.
The scene where he tries to molest his "daughter's" boyfriend or whoever the guy was supposed to be, is...another random moment of trying to show the emotional tragedy of this guy. It was too weird and random to be exciting, but the guy's reaction to the dad made me laugh. Still not enough though. Eh whatever I'll give it 1 star for that. The randomness detracts from the potential "wow!" So 1 star.
Is he just a perv who likes his daughter, and now young boys? Is he further flushing himself down the morality toilet since he's already a pedophile, and now a murderer, "so what the hell, rape a guy, too"? Or is that and the dump they now live in meant to display his downward spiral after committing two major sins--which has to be the film's purpose...of the sins?
The fact that they tried regains them 3 stars. So far a total of 4. They're not gonna get any points for mise-en-scene since I hated it, and there was a bit of cinematography like the raining blood while they have sex, but that was just horrifying even though I get it.
I mean OK the incest is a problem, but it's completely pointless to show this without an aftermath of how this taboo affected everyone. So two foolish murders resulted because of the incest; the first one was actually kinda funny but not a good enough reason to have the film set in a wintry place, yet clearly the reason (the dude floated away somewhere in the ocean on broken ice when the girl made it crack -_-). I won't say specifically why she did this or who the guy was. The 2nd murder I explained was the dad. OK so big deal murders happened, right? What now? Around 25 remaining minutes of weirdness to wrap the film up and to get to the point is what happened.
Oh what the hell I don't know. If you like the leading actress, watch her in Sion Sono's "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" It's just perfect, when I have more energy I'll review that one, it should be fun.
I mean I guess the scene where the dude kills the other dude because he worried the secret(s) would come out was...kind of riveting (so +6 stars from 0 stars), albeit a head-scratching crescendo from 50 minutes of winter, boring scenes and sex beforehand. So -6 stars from the 6 lol. Now we're back to 0 stars; I just don't see why the dad killed him. They tried to say he was desperately lonely and the girl he adopted was all he had (supposedly it was his real daughter all along and she knew); so if she gets arrested for *what she did* (not going to say what), he'd be alone, but eh, not developed well.
The leading guy also has very tiny lips so I can't even get turned on watching this. Like at least be gorgeous. But I won't take away any stars for that since I didn't watch for eye candy.
The scene where he tries to molest his "daughter's" boyfriend or whoever the guy was supposed to be, is...another random moment of trying to show the emotional tragedy of this guy. It was too weird and random to be exciting, but the guy's reaction to the dad made me laugh. Still not enough though. Eh whatever I'll give it 1 star for that. The randomness detracts from the potential "wow!" So 1 star.
Is he just a perv who likes his daughter, and now young boys? Is he further flushing himself down the morality toilet since he's already a pedophile, and now a murderer, "so what the hell, rape a guy, too"? Or is that and the dump they now live in meant to display his downward spiral after committing two major sins--which has to be the film's purpose...of the sins?
The fact that they tried regains them 3 stars. So far a total of 4. They're not gonna get any points for mise-en-scene since I hated it, and there was a bit of cinematography like the raining blood while they have sex, but that was just horrifying even though I get it.
I mean OK the incest is a problem, but it's completely pointless to show this without an aftermath of how this taboo affected everyone. So two foolish murders resulted because of the incest; the first one was actually kinda funny but not a good enough reason to have the film set in a wintry place, yet clearly the reason (the dude floated away somewhere in the ocean on broken ice when the girl made it crack -_-). I won't say specifically why she did this or who the guy was. The 2nd murder I explained was the dad. OK so big deal murders happened, right? What now? Around 25 remaining minutes of weirdness to wrap the film up and to get to the point is what happened.
Oh what the hell I don't know. If you like the leading actress, watch her in Sion Sono's "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" It's just perfect, when I have more energy I'll review that one, it should be fun.
Outstanding, Disturbing Take on Survival
anglerfish-0068425 May 2015
"My Man" is sure to turn off a lot of people. It deals with some difficult subjects, and does so in such a novel way... I don't blame the other couple reviews for being disgusted with it. But I don't think it was ever exploitative.
Fumi Nikaido co-starred in this and also another similar, different take on post-tsunami life, "Himiko". "Himiko" is also a great film, and she's just as good in it, although you'd almost have a hard time recognizing her from one to the other, even where she is supposed to be the same age. She's a great actress and she obviously likes to take risks and work with innovative directors.
I have to admit it was a bit weird seeing Tadanobu Asano looking so old. I suppose some of it, in the same way Nikaido is made up to look younger, so it was with him. But still... I guess we all get old but gah! Anyway, he's also in fine form here. I can't say I've ever seen a film where he wasn't.
Beautiful cinematography, wonderful acting, novel storytelling, deliberate pacing. If you want all those things from a movie, you can hardly go wrong with this one.
But it *is* morally ambiguous while taking on taboo subject matter, and it won't pander to those who crave a fast-moving narrative.
8/10
Fumi Nikaido co-starred in this and also another similar, different take on post-tsunami life, "Himiko". "Himiko" is also a great film, and she's just as good in it, although you'd almost have a hard time recognizing her from one to the other, even where she is supposed to be the same age. She's a great actress and she obviously likes to take risks and work with innovative directors.
I have to admit it was a bit weird seeing Tadanobu Asano looking so old. I suppose some of it, in the same way Nikaido is made up to look younger, so it was with him. But still... I guess we all get old but gah! Anyway, he's also in fine form here. I can't say I've ever seen a film where he wasn't.
Beautiful cinematography, wonderful acting, novel storytelling, deliberate pacing. If you want all those things from a movie, you can hardly go wrong with this one.
But it *is* morally ambiguous while taking on taboo subject matter, and it won't pander to those who crave a fast-moving narrative.
8/10
Waste of time.
SlippySeal30 June 2014
A terrible film, do not waste your time watching this garbage. I made an account just to warn you how bad this film is in terms of entertainment.
I'll keep it incredibly short - So the story is already ruined because it's from a book. Film adaptions from books are usually terrible (this one too as expected.)
Actors+producers+directors+cameras are terrible. 1/10 would not bang again.
Unless you are in love or the actors are your idols don't bother, just move on and watch something else.
Cheap idea to feed on some people's nostalgia (10 year old girls and such) it's like 20 minutes of story and 2 hours of watching people eat, walk around, sex and bad camera work.
There's a lot more things that I have to complain about but I'm not going to waste another hour or so of my life.
I'll keep it incredibly short - So the story is already ruined because it's from a book. Film adaptions from books are usually terrible (this one too as expected.)
Actors+producers+directors+cameras are terrible. 1/10 would not bang again.
Unless you are in love or the actors are your idols don't bother, just move on and watch something else.
Cheap idea to feed on some people's nostalgia (10 year old girls and such) it's like 20 minutes of story and 2 hours of watching people eat, walk around, sex and bad camera work.
There's a lot more things that I have to complain about but I'm not going to waste another hour or so of my life.
Dark & compelling
sharptongue17 December 2014
The premise and direction of the story seem, at first, to be a tease. A slightly wacky take on Lolita ? But things proceed to the grim. A take on Luc Besson's The Professional, or even Fatal Attraction ? The question of 'will they or won't they ?' sustains tension for the first half, but the loneliness and desperation of this curious pair carry things further. Much further, into territory where nothing is off-limits, not even murder.
The disturbing feel of My Man is further enhanced with surprising touches of gory horror which, although seemingly out-of-place, are striking and highly effective.
Not at all for the faint of heart, weak of stomach or the easily offended, My Man is voyeuristic and perverse, gripping from start to finish, and is practically guaranteed to leave you unsettled. Highly recommended.
The disturbing feel of My Man is further enhanced with surprising touches of gory horror which, although seemingly out-of-place, are striking and highly effective.
Not at all for the faint of heart, weak of stomach or the easily offended, My Man is voyeuristic and perverse, gripping from start to finish, and is practically guaranteed to leave you unsettled. Highly recommended.
In the end everyone lives in a different world
nabokov9523 March 2022
In the aftermath of the Hokkaido earthquake and tsunami of 1993 (the second of Nikaido's films with this backdrop after her breakthrough Newcomer of the Year role in "Himizu" (Mole) (2011)) a single man employed by the local Coastguard, adopts a young foundling, Hana, who may, (or may not), be his biological daughter. Her mother (with whom we incidentally learn the man has had a previous relationship) and father have both perished in the disaster. The film follows the twists and turns of their, potentially incestuous, and explicitly murderous, relationship through Hana's teenage years to her eventual independent adulthood. I'm sure this will be a controversial opinion but I thought it was a magnificent, tragic and, ultimately, quite heart-wrenching film from start to finish. Certainly one of the very few I immediately watched again, and appreciated even more when I did. I'd recommend that to any viewer as some of the plot points (the film is based on a book) are almost mentioned incidentally. It's certainly one of the best Japanese films I've seen in years, (and I watch a lot of them), and it's a shame that the controversial theme may limit its appeal to a wider audience. The backdrop of a coastal Japanese town in winter, beautifully filmed in whites and blues, with drifting pack ice, contrasted with the urban squalor of Tokyo earned a Best Cinematographer nomination. The lead actor, Tadanobu Asano, received a Best Actor award and Fumi Nikaidô a Best Actress. The recurring musical theme is "Going Home" from Dvorak's New World Symphony which captures the mood of the film perfectly. For reference the only explicit sexual scene is between consenting (unrelated) adults and there's limited violence. Finally, and last but not least, this is about the fourth film I've seen starring Fumi Nikaidô and she has impressed me in every one. She's prolific but mostly through television serials. She has recently decided to give these up to focus on films. As she's still only 26 I look forward to watching her films for years to come. My score 10/10.
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