Film Reviews:

Tandem

Odd, low budget, Dogma style production from Japan.

A bespectacled middle aged salaryman and a rebellious teenage biker meet by chance over a cup of coffee in a café in a busy train station. Without speaking to each other, the two recall sexual encounters they have recently experienced with strangers. The biker meets a beautiful girl on a train and the two of them masturbate each other. The salaryman recalls raping a woman. In both instances, the women are aroused not offended by the approaches. A few words are exchanged and the two decide to spend a carefree, reckless night together, travelling around in tandem on a moped.

An example of Japan's pinku eiga (pink film) or softcore arthouse cinema. It emerges that the two men have shared a partner but this is unknown to them. The significance of this point was lost on me as was any other intended 'commentary' that the filmmakers may have intended. Very Japanese. 4/10

Rob Dyer (November 2005)

See also:

The Bedroom

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