Movie: Maison de Himiko

Main casts: Odagiri Joe/Haruhiko; Shibasaki Kou/Saori; Tanaka Min/Himiko

If you always find Japanese movies to be difficult to enjoy, I wouldn’t suggest you on trying to understand this one. Wait wait… on second thought, this movie probably can be considered “light” if you’re following Joe Odagiri’s career (like yours truly ;-p), especially, Bright Future. I’ve even tried rewinding the ending of that movie, but still left puzzled. I was like, “Okay… so the jellyfish was… WHAT???” But certainly one cannot be too surprised since I have noticed that Odagiri always took movies that were difficult to digest. This passion of his seemed to flourish after he finished playing a masked hero in Kamen Rider Kuuga (perhaps after his study in the states), with one exception: Shinobi.

Anyway, Maison de Himiko told the story of a retirement house for a group of elderly men. The twist in the story was those elderly men were homosexual and some of them were not merely transvestites, but also transsexual. I seldom met this theme in Japanese movies, and have to admit was intrigued to see the supposedly portrait of Japanese gay life. That, and of course the fact that Odagiri played a role in it. Though defensive about the topic on “how gay Odagiri’s looks is” with some people, have to admit (again) after watching some of his movies, I was kind of wondering on what it will be like if he play a gay guy character.

Back to the story, the heroine Saori played by Shibasaki Kou has been enduring tough live after her father left her and her mother to live a more fulfilling life as a homosexual. Even after her mother had died, her father didn’t show up and reclaim his fatherly responsibilities. Who turned out at her office in a rainy day was an utsukushii otoko (a beautiful man), claiming that he was his father lover. Haruhiko (Odagiri Joe) offered her a job in Maison de Himiko, and her big share in the inheritance promised by Himiko (the name her father has took for years). After deep thoughts, with reluctance she showed up in the Maison and started to work there, where she found out that Himiko was in a deadly stage of cancer.

While I assumed the spotlights was going to be lighted toward Saori, her father and their father-daughter conflict, Haruhiko took majority portion (not that I complained) of this movie, telling the story how a young hot blooded gay guy get stuck in a relationship that no longer offered passionate love. Though looked cool and easy by day, Haruhiko stated in one scene how he’s tortured between his “needs” and his loyal love toward Himiko. This, I believe, triggered his kisses to Saori. They even almost made love if Saori, in the middle of it, didn’t said, “Sawaritai mono ga nai ne?” (You cannot find the thing you want to touch, huh?)

I like Odagiri costume in this movie, his hair was great, the shirts were so-him, but the tight pants… hmmm… not really. The best costume for me was when he wore the white suite and black beach sandals in the bar scene. He looked soooo kakkoiiiii. Oh, the dancing scene was also enjoyable. I like watching his moves, ever since his tap dancing in Operetta Raccoon (Tanuki Gotten) with Zhang Zi Yi.

The movie stayed honest when at the end they didn’t force Haruhiko and Saori together. Haruhiko was gay, Saori have to accept that (the audience also… sob sob…). I like the ending; it’s not cliché and was kept real. Right now I’m waiting for Odagiri’s other movie: Scrap Heaven. I wonder how that one is going to be like?