KIFF

Like Someone in Love
Abhijit Ghosh-Dastidar

Tributes to Michaelangelo Antonioni (Italy), Michael Cacoyannis (Greece), focus on Africa and Asia, selects on 100 years of Indian Cinema and gems from current cinema international brightened the 18th Kolkata International Film Festival (November 2012). Abbas Kiarostami’s ‘‘Like Someone in Love’’ (Japan, France, colour, 109 mins) delineates the escort-client configuration in Tokyo. Many of the prolonged scenes unfold in a car, and freshness accompanies the urban local. Two young girls, Nagisha and Akiko, speak on the mobile phone, with a boy. An elderlyman in Cafe Theo reminds the girls of other responsibilities. Akiko (Rin Takanashi), a former student visits the house of an old man, Watanabe Takashi (Tadashi Okuno), who writes and translates books, and gives lectures. Watanabe’s house is full of books,  and Akiko and Watanabe are strangers. The old man pours wine in two glasses, and the girl goes to the bedroom and strips. With Ella Fizerald’s song ‘Like Someone in Love’ being played in the background, Watanabe prepares soup broth made of shrimps.

The old man puts off candles on the dinner table. The protagonists sleep separately under blankets. Next morning the old man drives a car, with the girl sitting next to him. As the girl puts on stockings inside the car, there are superimposed images on the windscreen. After Akiko is dropped in front of a college, Watanabe watches as she is accosted by a young man, Higuchi (Ryo Kase). Higuchi borrows Watanabe’s lighter, and takes a ride in the car. He thinks that Watanabe is Akiko’s grandfather, and discloses that she is his fiancee. He was in a small garage business since leaving school, and sought permission for marriage. Higuchi and Akiko were young, and lacked experience. There were quarrels between the boy and girl, and Higuchi was worried that Akiko’s phone was switched all night. Discussions on Akiko continue, and Higuchi feels that Akiko knew nothing about life. The city was merciless and the place was a jungle. Akiko returns and sits on the back-seat, after purchasing a book for university studies. Higuchi joins in observations on Durkheim’s re-interpretation of Darwin’s theory and sociology.

The car develops engine problems. Higuchi takes the Volvo Car to his garage for repairs. Earlier, Akiko had mentioned to Higuchi that her grandfather was a fisherman. Watanabe explains it was a confusion over maternal and paternal grandfather. Akiko is dropped at a traffic point. Returning home, Watanabe fixes a blanket, and finds Akiko’s necklace. The printer, Miwa telephones for clarification on a proof. Akiko telephones with blood on her mouth. She waits for Watanabe on the doorsteps. Watanabe drives her to a pharmacy. Neighbours recognize the girl as his grand daughter. A neighbour’s handicapped brother screams loudly. Watanabe applies medicines on Akiko’s wounds.

Meanwhile, Higuchi reaches Watanabe’s house, rings the door bell, and shouts from outside. A quarrel develops with the neighbours. Higuchi flings stones on the glass windows. The window panes shatter, as Watanabe fumbles. In exile, Kiarostami’s film has an aimless quality. There is a virtuoso energy in the script, built on situation after situation. There are bits of comic relief in the down-to-earth look at youth and companionship, without prospects. Kiarostami’s script builds structured miniatures, with beautiful interludes. Katsumi Yanagijima’s camera creates hallucinatory visuals. But the film actually fells too short as the characters remain one dimensional.

Frontier
Vol. 45, No. 35, Mar 10-16, 2013

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