SYNOPSIS:
Asako
is a dreamy 17-year-old schoolgirl who is disillusioned with the mendacity
of study and her impending exams. Gradually she retreats from school and
the world around her and begins to hide out at home, unbeknownst to her
divorced mother. Then, one day, in an effort to make a fresh start, she
shifts all her personal belongings from her room to the garbage disposal
area of her apartment building. There she meets Kazuyoshi, a preternaturally
intelligent 10-year-old boy who politely asks if he may have her obsolete
computer. Later, the boy makes Asako an offer she can't refuse - "why
not join forces with me and work together?" Much to her surprise she
discovers that, tucked away from prying eyes in a closet in his bedroom,
Kazuyoshi has been running an erotic internet chat business on behalf of
a married siren named "Miyabi." At first, Asako proves as inexperienced
at operating a computer as she is at dealing with the lascivious advances
of the opposite sex, but her curiosity propels her ever onward into an exhilarating
adult world that she never knew existed. The strange new sensations Asako
experiences open her to a realm of unforeseen possibilities, but just how
far is she willing to go?
MOVIE
REVIEW :
Based on a best-selling novel in Japan, "Install" is a story depicting
how Asako, a schoolgirl who apparently like any adolescents at the “prime
old” age of 17 is at this point searching for the right directions
in life. Till she met an ordinary ten year old boy, Kazuyoshi who introduced
her to an online sex-chat business imposing as a 25 year old married woman
to cater to men from all age groups. Turns out that this ten year old boy
also has a problem of his own. He is uncomfortable with his stepmum who
besides being a Coke lover, keeps pestering Kazuyoshi about his preference
for a brother or a sister.
So there you
have it, the movie is basically made up of mainly to and fro conversations,
narration and in other words, short skits between Asako and Kazuyoshi. The
pace is mundanely slow occasionally interrupted by some “Kawaii”
background music pieces which some people might find pretty irritating after
a while. There’s one funny moment though when Asako invited Kazuyoshi
to touch her breast. And Kazuyoshi replied awkwardly “This is not
what I thought”. In fact, the whole online sex-chat businese is just
a setup for the two leads to explore and search their identity and existence.
Aya Ueto who
played Asako is very much in school uniform for most part of the movie.
(No, i don't have a penchant for girls in school uniforms really!) She’s
both cute and innocent at the same time trying desperately to find an answer
to her struggle. Please abandon the thought if you think there should be
some sexual intense moments or nudity of Aya Ueto because of the NC-16 rating.
What you get the most is simply beautifully shots, multi-angles of Ueto
(from bottom to top i.e.). Meanwhile,
Ryunosuke Kamiki's character
is a lonely boy, a typical reflection of any working family of today's society.
Left with a computer and over-achieving mentality of his age, these two
lost souls compliment one another in a weird sort of way.
“Install”
plods along like a documentary of an ordinary Joe. As said earlier, those
expecting sensual, fetish scenes might get disappointed. It’s like
shooting a man going to work, having dinner and going to sleep. Can he somehow
stop this routine eventually? Yes or No? Nobody can give a specific answer.
But until that very day, he still needs to continue this mundane life. It's
mind-racking if you think of leading your life beyond the rims of a routine
cycle, everyone needs directions at times. Install is all about that.
SPECIAL
FEATURES :
If you are expecting more of Aya Ueto, sad to say there isn't a single additional
material included in this version.
AUDIO:
Dialogues
are as clear as it can get. For a movie with a cute music soundtrack and
conversations, the dolby digital 2.0 is more than substantial.
VISUAL:
The
overall quality of this dvd is excellent. The image looks pretty sharp,
crisp and vibrant. The movie on the whole has the look of a typical Japanese
manga feel to it and the transfer practically maintained the theatrical
look.
MOVIE
RATING:
(Not exactly everyone's cup of tea. Great if you intend to spend some time
culminating your thoughts and of course for fans of Aya Ueto)
DVD RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
