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Air Doll

Kûki ningyô

Japan

2009

125 Min

Color

1.85:1

Japanese

Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
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EXEC Takeo Hisamatsu, Kazumi Kawashiro, Yutaka Shigenobu, Masao Teshima

PROD Hirokazu Kore-eda, Toshiro Uratani

SCR Yoshiie Goda, Hirokazu Kore-eda

CAST Jô Odagiri, Bae Doona, Susumu Terajima, Kimiko Yo, Masaya Takahashi, Arata, Itsuji Itao, Sumiko Fuji, Tasuku Emoto, Mari Hoshino, Ryô Iwamatsu, Tomomi Maruyama, Miu Naraki

Cannes (Un Certain Regard), Toronto (Masters), London (Film on the Square), San Francisco (World Cinema), Transilvania (No Limit), Melbourne (Neighbourhood Watch), Rotterdam, São Paulo (International Perspective)

Synopsis

Hideo, who lives alone, owns a life-size “air doll”, which suddenly finds herself with a heart. Everything is new to her in the world outside Hideo’s house. She meets all kinds of people. The world is filled with so many beautiful things, but everyone seems to have some kind of hollowness, just as she has. In the morning, she pumps herself up, and takes a walk.

One afternoon, she meets Junichi who works at a rental video store, and instantly falls in love with him. A first date. New words she learns from him. She starts working with him at the store, enjoys talking and being with him. Everything seems to be going perfect, until something unexpected happens to the doll.

A sad yet happy fantasy. This is a story about a new form of love. —Cannes Film Festival

Director

Hirokazu Kore-eda

Born in Tokyo in 1962. Originally intended to be a novelist, but after graduating from Waseda University in 1987 went on to become an assistant director at TV Man Union. Sneaked off set to film Lessons from a Calf (1991). His first feature, Maboroshi no hikari (1995), based on a Teru Miyamoto novel and drawn from his own experiences whilst filming August Without Him (1994), won jury prizes at Venice and Chicago. The main themes of his oeuvre include memory and loss, death and loss, and the intersection of documentary and fictional narratives. —IMDb

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Laura Hilton-Smith

25Feb13

No.25 - A film that has been on my 'I want to watch this' list for months and it did not disappoint. Touching, adorable, funny and poignant with a cameo from the lovely Odagii Jo. I need to hunt out more of Hirokazu Kore-eda's films.

Max

2Nov12

"People with cold hands have warm hearts."

novanindro

5Oct12

loneliness of urban life

febyac

31Aug12

another depressing film

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Articles

Our roundup of essays and articles on this film.

Movie Posters of the Week: The Best of Rotterdam

By Adrian Curry on February 12, 2010

This week I present a selection, below, of more of my favorite posters from the International Film Festival Rotterdam where the walls of

read article

Cannes 2009: Bodybags are Beautiful (“Air Doll,” Kore-Eda)

By David Phelps on May 15, 2009

Pinocchio: a sex doll comes to life, discovers she’s got a "heart." Amelie: But life, a heart, means a set tic, or routine (one character’s

read article

IFFR 2010: AIR DOLL review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011

Why does an inflatable sex doll come to life and proceed on a journey of discovery looking to explore the human condition? It just does, apparently. Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s Air Doll is quietly unapologetic

→ read on Twitchfilm.com

Fantasia 2010: AIR DOLL Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011

[A bit of a divisive film, Kore Eda’s Air Doll is being shown on the big screen at Fantasia, and here is Niels’ very positive take on the film.]When I first heard Koreeda was going to do Air Doll I……

→ read on Twitchfilm.com

Vancouver 09: AIR DOLL Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011

[Our thanks to Teresa Nieman for the following review.] Hirokazu Koreeda is one of today’s most consistently excellent filmmakers, with his recent movies Still Walking and Nobody Knows being critical hits

→ read on Twitchfilm.com

AIR DOLL: Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011

When I first heard Koreeda was going to do Air Doll I was extremely pleased to see him return to what he does best: magical realism a la Japonais. Even though most Koreeda fans seemed a little weary of

→ read on Twitchfilm.com

TIFF 09: AIR DOLL Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011

[Our thanks to Moko for the following review.] An uninformed moviegoer may read the initial premise of Air Doll and think, "Wow, a Japanese movie about a sex doll that comes to life? That MUST be zany

→ read on Twitchfilm.com