Kanzen-naru shiiku: Ai no 40-nichi (2001)

Director:

Yôichi Nishiyama

Writers:

Michiko Matsuda (novel)
Michiko Matsuda (supervising screenwriter)

Release Date:

23 June 2001 (Japan)

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Number In Title

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Yasuhito Hida	...	Sumikawa, Tatsuaki
Rie Fukami	...	Tsumura, Haruka
Naoto Takenaka	...	Akai, Seiichi
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Saori Fujimoto	...	Young woman
Makoto Ishiwara	...	Young man
Megumi Itô	...	Friend A
Satoshi Nakagawa
Momoko Nishida
Yoshiko Noda	...	Tajima, Noriko
Kiiji Suzuki	...	Detective B
Yukiyo Tada
Yu Tokui	...	Real estate agent
Yukio Yamato	...	Detective A
Emiko Yamauchi	...	Friend B

Also Known As:

Kanzen-naru shiiku 2 (Japan) (working title)
Perfect Education 2: 40 Days of Love (International: English title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

South Korea:18 (cable rating) | Japan:R-15

Company:

Art Port

Movie Connections:

Follows Kanzen-naru shiiku (1999)

Something to think about

I was apparently wrong informed that `Perfect Education 2 ` was written by Miike Takeshi so I immediately get a DVD copy of the movie. But as oriental cinema is barely released in the USA, the only available copy was the Hong Kong made, who has English titles, but is mostly in Chinese (the movie is from Japan).

However, even for a tale several times told, this movie is able to get under your skin in quasi subliminal way.

Haruka is a lonely 17 years old girl. His father has died, his mother works till very late so she spend most of her time alone, even if she has some friends, she has not really a family to count on. She is so depressed that his only wish is for an UFO to take her out of this world. Sounds familiar, well is probably the same though of every adolescent girl in actual society.

Sumikawa is 42 years old man whose mother just passed away leaving him alone after dedicating his life to her care. The typical movie rapist or nut case. One day, Sumikawa kidnap Haruka and after a failed rape intent, decide to keep her prisoner as his companion forever; `There is nothing you can do, its just your fate' explain to Haruka.

He is really a tender guy and tries to please her as much as he can, but also request some sexual act or threaten her. Anyway, the relation gradually moves to feelings and consented sex and may be LOVE.

There are a few more disturbing things here. The action takes place mostly in a very small room; so small that there is only a single bed and Sumikawa must sleep on the floor. In the middle of the movie, he ask her to call him PAPA, something she will do till the logical dramatic end.

Sold as an erotic movie, it will probably be deceptive to those looking for hardcore sex. The sexual tension is high, but the scenes are very restrained and sometimes without any real erotism.

However, acting is so good that you are able to feel their fear and loneliness and excitement all over. And by the end feel pity for them. Yes, he is a psycho and a potential rapist, but in this everyday colder society, he is probably her only escape. Let's think about what would happen to Haruka in a middle of the depression without any adult advise. It could be nothing or she could fall under drugs, prostitution, an adult lover or just suicide. Read the papers, this happens everyday.

It is not an excellent movie, but it is worth a try.