Romance Doll (2020)

I had high expectations considering how amazing the cast is and how the director mentioned she had set this story aside for the right moment but it didn't leave a strong impression on me.

Story:
The story has a lot of potentials. I think it was daring of the director to chose a story that talks about the sex toy industry. Even though the ideas and themes this story wanted to express were very thorough, the pacing of the story felt off in certain parts. At times the plot becomes predictable which made me gradually lose interest. For having a storyline like this movie, I expect more depth or development that depicts the character's life.

Cast:
No complaints about the cast! People were excited to see these Takahashi Issei and Aoi Yu come back together since they last worked on a film together "All About Lily Chou Chou". There's a lot of small details for these characters that you could clearly tell through their acting. If you're watching this movie purely to see their acting, I could understand why.

Music:
Music was used sparingly throughout the movie. Most of it was left empty to emphasize the reality and the sense of time passing by. Whenever music was used, it largely affected the mood of the story, easily informing the audience how the scenes should be portrayed. Simply by listening to the music, I could recall the scenes it was used for. The only reason why I did not give music a full score is because of how the void was sometimes too much and affected the pace of the movie.

Rewatch Value:
The only reason why I could see people rewatching the movie is if they're really drawn by the cast's acting. I personally don't see the need for rewatching when there are plentiful of other movies that could be worth my time.

Overall, the movie isn't bad nor excellent, just average. It's a typical romance movie plotline with a slightly different concept.

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Not what you expected

This was a really sad movie—but it also made me say the biggest “woahhhh” ever. If you go into this film without reading the plot, that will probably be your exact reaction too. Because of that, I won’t say much about the story at first. I’ll just say this: it’s a good movie, very unexpected. I thought it would be uncomfortable to watch, but instead it was much sadder and more emotional than I imagined.
I’d definitely recommend watching it if you’re curious. And if you want to know more details, you can keep reading.






*Spoilers below*

The story follows an unemployed art school graduate who unexpectedly finds work as a maker of sex dolls. He actually majored in sculpture, which makes the job feel less random than it first sounds. Under the guidance of his mentor, Kinji, he helps mold flesh that can produce tactile sensation. Kinji suggests using a human cast to improve realism, and they advertise for a model under the excuse of creating breast prosthetics for “medical purposes.”
That’s how he meets Sonoko.
What surprised me most is how their interactions are completely devoid of lust. Instead, their sessions are filled with awkward sweetness, almost like shy teenage romance. Eventually, the two get married, and the movie shifts its focus to their married life. We watch as Tetsuo works late into the night, pouring all his energy into creating happiness for others, while slowly neglecting his own wife and marriage.
A large part of the film reflects on harsh aspects of Japanese work culturehow the excitement of marriage slowly fades into routine, and how couples can start to feel more like roommates than partners. The warmth that once existed is gradually replaced by distance and silence.
One thing I really appreciated is how the movie approaches the topic of sex dolls. Instead of portraying it in a lustful or provocative way, it focuses on the technical and artistic process behind their creation. Learning about the craftsmanship and production was genuinely interesting and completely unexpected.
The contrast is what really stayed with me: the cold, strange machinery and rubbery mannequins set against a story filled with quiet sadness and very human warmth. It’s an unusual topic, but the emotions are deeply relatable.
This movie surprised me in the best way—and emotionally wrecked me more than I expected.

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