Tony Takitani (2004)

When technical illustrator Tony Takitani asks his wife to resist her all-consuming obsession for designer clothes, the consequences are tragic.

Director:

Jun Ichikawa

Writers:

Jun Ichikawa, Haruki Murakami (short story)

Stars:

Issei Ogata, Rie Miyazawa, Shinohara Takahumi

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Issei Ogata	...	Tony Takitani, Shozaburo Takitani
Rie Miyazawa	...	Konuma Eiko, Hisako
Shinohara Takahumi	...	Young Tony Takitani
Hidetoshi Nishijima	...	Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Yumi Endô
Miho Fujima	...	4th daughter
Miki Hayashida
Shizuka Moriyama
Hiroshi Yamamoto

Storyline

Due to his Western name, Tony was shunned by other kids and spent a solitary childhood. Though gifted as an artist, his drawings lacked feeling, so as an adult, he carved a career as a technical illustrator. Then in middle age, Tony suddenly falls for a pretty young woman, Eiko Konuma, who visits him one day on business. Eiko is like an angel in Tony's daily existence, and for the first time in his life, he feels connected to the outside world. However, Eiko does have one fault: she's a clothing shopaholic. Confusion also begins to develop when it appears that Eiko has a double.

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Plot Keywords:

japanese man | two word title | character name as title | watering a plant | illustrator | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

29 January 2005 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Tony Takitani

Filming Locations:

Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,765, 26 June 2005

Gross USA:

$129,783

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$556,268

Company Credits

Production Co:

Breath, Wilco Co.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nearly every shot in the movie moves from left to right, some are static (particularly toward the end) and only a few from right to left.

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Connections

References Vertigo (1958)

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Soundtracks

Solitude
Written by Ryuichi Sakamoto

User Reviews

An experience not to forget

After seeing "Tony Takitani," it's like I just ate something I have never tasted before, and it left some strange taste in my mouth. Even though I can't say I like what I just ate, but it tastes so interesting that I wanna to taste it again if I get the chance. That's how I feel about this poetic Japanese film.

The film is very slow, like watching a flower blooming on a drizzle day, the film never wants to rush into anything. Tony Takitani is a loner, he is always by himself, until he finally met a woman Eiko. Eiko is a perfect housewife, making Tony forgot about what being alone means. But Eiko has one problem: she can't stop shopping for clothes. What is Tony gonna do about it? What's the consequence might be? I will leave that to you to see the film. But to me, watching this film is not about the plot or the characters, which neither impressed me. The visual is the core of this film, that's what makes me reluctant to say this is a boring film. Quite the contrary. Sometimes, the film makes me feel like watching the animal world on PBS, with the never shutting up narrator. Why doesn't the film let the characters to talk, but constantly uses a voice over? I find it very annoying.

To people who never had sushi and sashimi, I always encourage them to try them, it will be nothing like they ever had before. So try to watch this film if you can have a chance. Just like sushi, I can't promise everybody will like it, but the experience is never to forget.