2LDK (2003)

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Some quick facts: It's a fairly short film, with only 2 visible actors (actresses), in one location, that being their Tokyo flat/apartment-which they share while being sponsored by the same talent agent. Oh and they hate each other. But the hatred gradually and reasonably escalates somehow in this short time with the common annoyances and peeves of room sharing, particularly with your polar opposite, on the brink of desperation. In the beginning, the film has voice-over narrations of the girls saying in their heads horrible things about each other before or after faking nice to each other's faces, over awkward meals and disputes over borrowing/returning/asking for personal belongings and other universal house rules. Clearly their current stresses of pursuing acting careers is the catalyst to their imploding tension ending in a crap storm, along with rivaling for the same role and a popular man in the industry, with not much luck for either of them. As the film progresses, their voice overs disappear as if they no longer need to keep things held in. They're arguing over stupidness, which might be the point: addressing the pettiness between women, and exaggerating what it'll lead to, for entertainment and for a pretty good point.Apparently this simple style of two actors, one location and a central feud is I'd think classic for scenes in plays and thus rare but very interesting and somehow entertaining on screen when done right. The idea came from a challenge for two directors to make a film this way. Only in Japan, lol and it seems 2LDK might've won that challenge, says popularity, over the other film in the challenge, "Aragami," a samurai film. Anyway, the plot in all honesty, for all its simplicity, is irresistible before ever watching and satisfying after finally watching. The black-haired actress Eiko Koike was far better, and she was really good in Penance 2012--aside from her unsightly nails (which to me do indicate that she is possibly a real-life tomboy, and so her bitten down nails and scabby cuticles conveniently suit her on-screen opponent being a superficial primadonna with lavishly manicured tips). Her face and voice were constantly strong though impassive and emotionless, which might be intentional considering her character is stoic and intelligent, and her opponent played by Maho Nonami is an emotional airhead. Also, Koike's commands were more genuine and diaphragmatic like from her core. Whereas the other actress's screams and shouts and wailing were more shallow, like for instance when she was having a breakdown on the bed grooving to heavy metal, or screaming when her belongings were destroyed. I didn't buy her weak orgasm excuses for screams as sheer despair and rage. Coincidentally, Nonami's character also needs more acting classes.... It can really make the film look cheesy if you're willing to see it that way. That might be my only issue. I'm a less is more kinda person; people who hide behind histrionic special effects and performances irritate me especially if they have the nerve to be vapid meantime. This film concisely tells the story it needed to. It was cool, funny, eerie, just enough so. Not mind-blowing though. Good enough to watch again and again and not be confused or bored or traumatised, at least not me.

Looking for a short movie that delivers on the violence goods? 2LDK is for you, my friend. Take a highlight clip of Looney Tunes violence and mix it with an old school ECW (or FMW since it's Japanese) match and you've got the gist of this crazy little pimp slap of a movie. Two roommates hate each other something fierce, their animosity simmers for a bit, then they proceed to beat the holy hell out of each other. Needless to say, this is not a feel-good movie, but it sure is fun to watch two crazy Japanese chicks own each other. Come for the notion of being multi-cultural by watching a foreign film, stay for the brutal slapstick violence that's good for the whole family. Good times, good times...

If you are into absurd, dark humoured comedies, you will more than enjoy this. One part of the "Dual Project", this is more entertaining than the other story (Aragami). While Kitamura seemed to have just done a light version of his (good) movie Versus, this has a few things going for it. Both have the same basic idea. Two actors (or actresses in this case) in one room.And what happens from there, is up to the individual director. But let's say it's not something the faint-hearted will like or enjoy. But as I stated above, if you are a fan, than you will be delighted by quite a few things. It has a fast pace, some funny dialogue and just enough of everything else. If you watch it with Aragami, make sure this is the second movie you'll watch!

1st watched 7/11/2006, 7 out of 10(Dir-Yukihiko Tsutsumi): Creepy, yet entertaining chicks taking jealousy to the extreme flick. What this movie is, is a no-holds barred representation of what would happen if two women were filled with jealousy and hatred towards one another and had no conscience whatsoever to keep them from going to extreme measures to put the other away permanently. It starts off slowly as the characters are introduced 1 by 1 after returning home from their respective acting auditions for the same role for an upcoming coveted movie. They share an apartment that consists of 2 Bedrooms, A living room, A dining room and a kitchen; thus the title, 2LDK. We're initially tricked into thinking that the horror aspect of the movie is going to come from outside sources instead of from within. We are then shown thru the character's thoughts that anger is heating up quickly and builds to an overflowing point that never lets go until the end of the movie. At times, the extreme violence tends to pull you away from the screen but the director(Yukihiko Tsutsumi) then promptly grabs you back in as if he knows how you're going to react. This Japanese movie goes places deep within the hearts of characters that Hollywood only barely scratches at the surface. Many times in American movies it's turned into a blood-and-guts fest only without any probing into the characters. This movie is much more than that and for this reason it's a pleasurable(kind of) viewing experience if you can last thru to the very end, despite the graphic violence.