U.S. DVD Release
Before I die I’ll be imparting a few chicken nuggets of wisdom to my son. Every man should leave this world having left some kind of legacy. When it’s my time, I’ll be leaving my son with a massive, comprehensive, horror film collection and the following advice…
“Son, learn to change your own oil, that way when you take your car to Jiffy Lube you can tell people you “Just didn’t have time to change it”. Appearing lazy is far better than looking stupid”
“Son, never let a woman purchase your underwear. They may like the way you look in white boxer briefs but you’ll get an earful when it’s time for them to wash them.”
“Son, despite what some people will tell you, scorpions and spiders are nowhere near as deadly as a jealous woman.”
Now, you women out there damn well know that last bit of advice is the God’s honest truth. You all know that women can be quite vicious to men but when it comes to each other, you’re merciless. Men that wrong women are begrudgingly forgiven, women that wrong other women risk having their spine severed with a soup spoon. You men know what I’m talking about as well. You’ve seen the insanity that flashes behind their eyes when they lock horns with each other.
2LDK is one of those films that initially appear to be a black-comedy but quickly spirals into a tense, bloody thriller. This actually turned out to be my favorite film from the Danger After Dark box set from TLA Releasing’s new DVD imprint, Danger After Dark.
While Suicide Club is a challenging, multi-layered film and Moon Child was a slick, enaging actioner, 2LDK was crammed full of unbearable tension. There were no guns, no vampires, no ghost girls (so to speak) and no wire work. This film, in my opinion, was far better than Takashi Miike’s Audition though I’m sure some would strongly disagree with me.
At the heart of 2LDK lies a sweet, tender love story…PSYCHE!
Nozomi (Eiko Koike) and Lana (Maho Nonami) are both aspiring actresses working for the same acting agency, living in the same apartment, trying out for the same roles and fighting for the same man. The tension between them is unbearable and each find ways to dig their nails into one another whether that be by labeling food or talking about past accomplishments.
Nozomi is a quiet, “country” girl from Sado Island that’s come to Tokyo in search of the fame and recognition she’s always known she was capable of receiving. She’s a tad on the anal retentive side and is a major stickler for rules.
Lana, on the other hand, is outspoken and occasionally rude. Having had more experience in film than Nozomi, she’s always making sure she rubs things in. Lana is one of those girls that always win everything, including men’s attention, but it she was always the “runner up” type victory. This makes Lana even more intent on scoring that role.
When both women begin blaming each other for breaking the rules, Lana begins to taunt Nozomi about the man they both like. Push comes to shove and they soon begin doing anything they can to disturb the other girl including destroying each others property.
The competition rages out of control though and both women snap. Before the end of the night swords will be swung, hedge trimmers will be wielded, trophies will be broken and a drowning will take place. Neither girl plans to allow the other to walk away from this fight.
Wow, Cool movie! This began on the comedic side and it actually worked quite well. When things get out of hand though I was just blown away by the vicious and unrelenting attacks these girls dish out on one another.
From the start you see that Nozomi is trying hard to rise above this position in life that her Family are constantly pushing her into and Lana is struggling to stay afloat in a lifestyle she can no longer support. Both need this key role, both need this man.
Trust me, this film doesn’t get “too deep” nor does it remain comedic for long. As the film gets going you can see the girl’s sanity levels drop as the attacks become more severe. The acting was wonderful.
2LDK is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85) format. The transfer was a bit grainy and whites tended to blur together. It wasn’t horrible but it was noticeable. One thing worth noting is the special features on this release…THERE’S ACTUALLY SPECIAL FEATURES! We’re given a “making of” featurette, an original trailer and a press conference announcing the film and offering up a Q&A session with the cast and filmmaker. It was great fun. I’d highly recommend this film.
By the way, 2LDK stands for 2 Bedrooms, Living Room, Dining Room & Kitchen.
