Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers! — movie review
When I heard that Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers! Was screening at Viz’s Japantown theater, I had to check it out right away. The ultra-black comedy has been generating quite a bit of buzz on other cult sites for its biting humor and standout performance by Eriko Sato (Cutie Honey) but up until now, there’s been no real way to see it legitimately, much less on a big screen. Now, having seen it, I can safely say the buzz was warranted.
Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers! centers on a trio of siblings forced together after the tragic death of their parents. Where most films would offer your typical tale of sibling schmaltz and newfound understandings in the face of parental loss, Funuke opts for outright hostility, with the heirs reuniting under a rainbow of guarded pessimism and bared fangs. There’s Sumika (Eriko Sato), the elder sister, a conniving, endlessly spoiled, aspiring actress, who makes the trek from Tokyo primarily to ensure that her allowance money keeps flowing in the absence of her parents…and to terrorize her sister; Kiyomi (Aimi Satsukawa), the younger sister, a talented manga artist who spins said tortures into macabre horror manga gold, punishing Sumika with the power of the pen; and Shinji (Masatoshi Nagase), the older half-brother whose conflicted nature leads him to protect and shelter Kyomi while berating his endlessly devoted wife. Each and every one of them is locked in battle, whether internally or externally, and no one’s getting away unscathed.
In terms of tone, Funuke strikes a perfect balance between family drama, black comedy, and cult film fare. There are many places where the film could venture into Visitor Q perversion, but it opts for a far more restrained, realistic oddity. There’s a lot of oddball stuff to be witnessed, but nothing beyond the realm of plausibility. Furthermore, the characters, as flawed as they are, maintain a recognizable and layered humanity throughout. As the story unfolds, the viewer gains insight into their inner-motivations, and the reasons why they behave the way they do (most of which are not what you would think at first glance). In spite of all the crazy goings-on, you’re completely there with them the whole way through, eagerly awaiting the next malicious twist, while secretly hoping for the best.
The film’s magnetism is due in no small part to the performance of lead actresses, Eriko Sato and Aimi Satsukawa. After Cutie Honey and Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman, you might not have expected much from Sato besides a cute face and ample chest, but with Sumika, she plays one of the most evil creatures to grace the screen in recent years. It’s a bit odd coming off of her kawaii stereotypes, but her wholly believable rottenness actually makes you really want to punch her in the face. In similar fashion, Satsukawa’s Kyomi gets the audience fully behind her, cheering her on as she crafts a delicious vengeance by way of serendipitous detective work and covert artistry. Matashi Nagasi and Hiromi Nagasaku also deliver competent turns, with the latter playing Shinji’s endearingly naïve wife.
Alas, I’ve let myself run away at the keys again. Before this review grows any longer, I’ll just wrap it up here. I had an absolute blast at Funuke. It was one of my favorite films of the past few months, if not the year. If you’re in the city, do yourself a favor and check it out.
Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers! is screening at Viz Cinema until Thursday. Check out the New People website for showtimes.
Bonus Trailer
Bonus Interview
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