Review of 2LDK (2003) by Jimmy J — 15 Jun 2005

[b]2LDK[/b] is indeed a dazzling movie, a wicked satire about fame and fortune masquerading as perhaps the greatest no-holds-barred, knock-down drag-out, power-tools-and-all catfight in the history of cinema. At the core of this film is the struggle between specific gender roles?the concept of the quiet, aloof proper girl vs. the hot-to-trot woman of worldly design?a fight that has become even fuzzier as we've moved into the more sexually explicit and morally miscreant post-millennial world.

All deeper meanings aside, one of the reasons [b]2LDK[/b] works so well is the precise narrative construction by director, Tsutsumi. Beginning with the basics of a roommate relationship?the boredom, the privacy issues, the intermingling of possessions?and then layering, slice by slice, the personal dynamics inherent in each character, this writer-director does a spectacular job of building the tension and suspense. Tsutsumi keeps the logic consistent and the outbursts manageableus get a handle on the desperation and rage inside each woman. He then releases their repression in ever more ridiculous fashion. By the time the women are wielding electrical appliances and garden tools as part of their delirious domestic spat, we have been thoroughly prepared for this eventuality and enjoy every craven, criminal minute of it.

But perhaps more important to the film's success are the artistic flourishes, the subtle touches (overhearing the girls' internal thought process, the Asian-Peruvian decor), and outright camera tricks (the lens quivers whenever the girls get angry, as if their emotions are sending out shock waves) Tsutsumi uses to move beyond the action-thriller basics and flesh out his narrative. In turn, we find we care more for these characters than we first realized, and soon turn our attentions to rooting for a victor and hissing an inferred villain. Who assumes what role during the course of [b]2LDK[/b] will be a direct reflection on your attitude toward the individuals showcased, and on Tsutsumi's cleverness with the camera. This is a war in which no one truly wins, and all the strategies are as sad as they are sadistic. The fact that we can enjoy ourselves throughout the course of this seriocomic chaos of deadly intent is a testament to Tsutsumi's skill as a storyteller and a visionary artist, which truly makes [b]2LDK[/b] is exceptional film for its short hour and ten minutes of storytelling.