Audition Review

Written by: hybrid moments   

Director Miike Takashi  brings us a very disturbing look at the roles played in relationships in his 1999 film "Audition". Aoyama a middle aged widower is talked into holding a staged audition by a friend in the entertainment  industry , but unknown to all the young women participating this audition isn't to find a  new young starlet  but  a mate  for lonely Aoyama. Aoyama finds the lovely and timid Asami and falls for her on sight. Under the ruse of consoling Asami on not getting the non-existent part Aoyama starts to court her, however unknown to Aoyama sweet, quiet Asami has a dark and sinister past filled with unusual twists.

I don't want to give away any more that because I feel the joy "Audition" is letting the story unfold in front of you. Miike Takashi does a brilliant job of translating Murakami Ryu screenplay to the big screen and tackles the issue of gender roles, that of men being the strong and dominate and women the passive and subservient. The pace of "Audition" is a very slow and long build, but to its credit I found it to be perfectly paced out when you see all the pieces fall into place and the credits roll. I highly recommend to fans of  Asian or J-horror, Miike Takashi's other films, or even the steady paced horror of the 70s.