U.S. DVD Release
Before I set my mind on reviewing this film I really had to sit and think a bit. I mean, what in the Hell was this film actually about? I wouldn’t go so far as to say “nothing” but I’d truly be hard pressed to sum it all up in one sentence. I know this sounds like a cop out but there was something about this film that reeked of “cultural differences.”
To begin with this film was based on Manga and let’s be honest, some Japanese Manga is incredibly, frustratingly confusing. Not all but some. Screwed was originally the Manga work of influential Japanese illustrator Yoshiharu Tsuge. Now add a director like Teruo Ishii, himself a maverick of Japanese cinema, to the mix and you’ve got yourself a strange, erotic film that defies categorization…that is…unless “WHATTHEFUCK!!” is a genre.
No? Thought not.
Like I stated above…Screwed is a bit challenging to really break down but lemme take a crack at it anyhow. Hopefully it floats your boat.
Tsube (Tadanobu Asano of Ichi The Killer & Vital), a down-and-out Manga illustrator, and his girlfriend Kuniko are booted from their apartment after failing to pay rent. Kuniko, not one to just sit back idly, gets a job as a cook in a business resort dorm for traveling businessmen. Tsube is forced to live with a Manga letterer by the name of Kimoto.
It’s obviously not the ideal situation but Tsube isn’t bringing in any money and Kimoto seems to be just fine with the arrangement. Tsube is far from happy though, Kimoto seems a bit “too friendly” and Kuniko is carrying condoms in her purse.
Knowing they aren’t for him, Tsube figures that Kuniko may be stepping out on him with an old school chum she had a crush on. To make matters worse, he stays on and off at the dormitory where Kuniko stays! Tsube is positive something is going on.
Unfortunately, Tsube isn’t quite prepared for Kuniko’s announcement that she’s pregnant and Tsube is most definitely not the father. Heartbroken and dejected, Tsube heads back to his apartment, swallows a bottle of pills and lays down to die. Luckily he’s discovered by his roommate Kimoto and rushed to the hospital just in time to save his life.
What life is it though? Without Kiniko, is there anything left for Tsube?
The hospital kicks poor Tsube out after not being able to pay so he decides to head out into the great wide open and get his mind off of Kuniko. You know, take time to smell the flowers and grow old with no worries type of deal.
While journeying he meets a barmaid who longs for red shoes and the big city, a stripper who insists she’s a virgin and a sex-starved, middle-aged woman running her own restaurant. Tsube doesn’t stay long with the barmaid and visits with the MILF only long enough to scratch and itch and leave.
Somehow, someway, Tsube comes in contact with a particularly deadly jellyfish and his arm is sliced wide open. The injury forces Tsube to hold his arm closed and slowly walk from place to place seeking a doctor to attend to his arm. Slowly bleeding to death, Tsube begins having visions.
By now, the film has gone from interesting to “WHATTHEFUCK!!” awful fast and you’re left to sort things out for yourself. There’s no big ending, no major point to everything. You simply follow this loser Tsube on a journey of very little self-discovery. He wanders to and fro and before you know it he’s seeking medical attention, receives it while getting his groove on and…yeah…that would be about it.
Teruo Ishii was a man driven to do his own damn thing and Screwed proves he did. There’s only one problem…what about the viewer? In this case, Screwed BARELY allows you to tag along for the ride. While that’s great for the voyeur, it’s bad for those already on their 8th beer. No kidding.
The acting was quite good for an obviously low budget affair and Tadanobu Asano is wonderfully moody.
The visuals in Screwed are top notch and Ishii directs two STUNNING sequences, one before and one after the film. I’d say if you’re cool with semi-nude Japanese women crawling on all fours with sumo thongs, tits hanging, while fondling, sniffing and making all sorts of noise gets your motor running, this right here is your thing.
I’m a big fan of Ishii’s Female Yakuza Tale so I was more than willing to give this flick a shot. I can honestly say this film will not be for everyone. You’re either going to find it intriguing and hang in there until the final credits appear or you’re going to turn it off mid-way. Those of you that stick around to finish will be delighted to find a DVD-rom comic on this disc as well as trailers, posters and stills, production notes and three bios on Ishii, Asano and Tsuge.
Screwed is recommended only to those adventurous enough to try something new. It’s not what I’d call a “party flick”.
