mollycase Review of All About Lily Chou-Chou

All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)

Iwai's films communicate to a jilted youth culture of Japan

[7/10 · 6 August 2002]

ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU is another film about a fruitless journeys. Though, this plot-less, harrowing, call-for-attention mess is the longest aftertaste I have ever had. Beats any Kubrick film, in which begs me to re-watch it, even if the first time hardly seems to warrant it. But re-watch it for what? Like a Kubrick film, there are no 'humans' here, just gloomy detached children wallowing in an existential void. I feel haunted by this experience, but can't really explain it. And I still think about it after all this time, often yearning for a chance to see it again. Therefore, a film this powerful deserves some attention, but it's likely most will dismiss it immediately and altogether abandon the after-thought process required to appreciate it. Note: I did some research on the director Shunji Iwai, his previous efforts include the acclaimed SWALLOWTAIL AND BUTTERFLY. Turns out that he has a bit of a cult following made up mostly of young film aficionados, whereas the older critics tend to despise his films. Clearly, Iwai's films communicate to a jilted youth culture of Japan, and therefore general Western audiences, young and old alike, inevitably find his films difficult.