Review of Tomie: Forbidden Fruit (2002) by Stefano C — 13 Jul 2010

If there had ever existed a being such as this (i.e. a real life Tomie) then Nozomi Ando would have been considered to have at some point in one time or another...a Tomie.

Director Shun Nakahara (Sky High TV) beautifully - in Tomie fashion - films Nozomi Ando who portrays "the girl who won't die" in the final chapter [not really] of the horror franchise.

Synopsis: Tomie Hashimoto (Aoi Miyazaki - Mt. Tsurugidake) is a school girl who is bullied by classmates on a daily basis, but soon finds companionship from another that carries the same name as her. Without much warning, the schoolgirl's new best friend finds some interest towards her father Kazuhiko Hashimoto (Jun Kunimura - Kill Bill) turning the already not so happy family into a wild folk frenzy.

The forbidden fruit [almost] the best in the series next to "Rebirth" with Nozomi Ando helming the role of Tomie Kawakami who plays it best where others whom tried the character did not seem to matter, but then again Rio Matsumoto (Tomie: Beginning) and Miki Sakai (Tomie: Rebirth) gives Ando a run for her talents.

Though the whole Tomie world seems to be posed as a horror tale, Forbidden Fruit is more dramatic with some light comedy making for strange cinema. The film does seem to fall short for storytelling during the last quarter, but the visual effects, music and acting from the cast was far better then most Tomie films out there.