Air Doll (2009)

Recommended

Japan

Feature Film

Original Title: 空気人形

Director: Koreeda Hirokazu

Writers: Koreeda Hirokazu, Goda Yoshiie

Cinematographer: Lee Pin Bing

Composers: World's End Girlfriend

Cast: Bae Doona, Arata, Itao Itsuji, Odagiri Jō, Fuji Sumiko, Takahashi Masaya, Terajima Susumu, Yo Kimiko

A life-sized inflatable sex doll develops a soul, acquires a job at a video rental store, and begins to interact with a number of lonely Tokyoans, all the while remaining subservient to her middle-aged owner, in Koreeda’s for-the-most-part beautiful and moving existential exploration of urban alienation, which is let down somewhat (though far from irredeemably) by its vaguely sentimental and trite last few moments. Iain.Stott