Jun Ichikawa's "Tony Takitani" starts with a close up of dirt--more precisely, nondescript soil. The camera holds on the earth a little too long, making you wonder about what relevance the dirt has. The opening shot sets the tone for the film. The camera pans over the dirt and the scene opens up to a young man molding the dirt into a ship. Tony (Issei Ogata) walks by and enters his austere apartment and the film's narration begins with his background story.
"Tony Takitani" follows Haruki Murakami's short story of the same name faithfully, while giving more focus to the weight of loneliness. In fact, loneliness is so palpable in this film it could be another main character rather than a character trait, one which Tony Takitani wears like a uniform.
Rie Miyazawa and Issey Ogata combat loneliness in a scene from "Tony Takitani"
I walked out of film wondering who could like this film. Ryuichi Sakamoto's score, though effective, is also monotonous and overly dramatic. The colors are muted. The camera is work subtle (often artfully out of focus) and not particularly dynamic. The pacing is painfully slow. Add to that, "Tony Takitani is not one of Murakami's richest stories. Yet through powerful art direction, uncanny acting and costume design, Ichikawa manages to improve upon Murakami's original work.
I won't give away the plot here as it is simple and entertaining, but the story line isn’t what makes this film worth watching. Jun Ichikawa's quiet film has a power that resonates. It gives loneliness a cinematic canvas. Don’t see "Tony Takitani" if loneliness is an affliction you suffer from--or if you are out for a good time. Do go if you’re a fan of Haruki Murakami, existentialism, or engrossing characters whose idiosyncrasies define them.
