Written by Linda
December 02, 2008
And the award for the most curious film title of the year goes to...
How can you deny a film about young, hipster, pot-smoking, Tokyo nightclubbing girls who share a flat and end up getting jobs as hostess bar bunnies to pay the rent? Kiyoko and Chinatsu are best friends, they share the same bed in the same tiny flat, they go out partying together, they tease each other like little kids...
Chinatsu is kind of butch, and likes to pick up girls when they go out. Kiyoko knows this, and has no problem, though they've agreed that if Kiyoko can't bring men home to their apartment (like the boy at the fish store she has fallen for), then Chinatsu can't bring women home.
Kiyoko basically teases her friend, sexually toying with her in the name of fun, not realizing how much she is torturing Chinatsu, who has inevitably fallen for her. After Chinatsu gets dumped by a girlfriend, Kiyoko goes so far as to let Chinatsu find comfort in her bed. Their close friendship comes to a crossroads when Chinatsu confesses that she is in love with Kiyoko.
Much allusion is made to the fact that the girls are so close that they are like two peas in a pod, almost like two halves of the same person. But unrequited love can only be strung along for so long until the relationship is damaged.
I liked Love/Juice for the naturalness of the girls' friendship. They chat about silly things, and have a casual, physical comfort with each other (until the tension arises). A lot of time is spent with the girls just hanging out in their flat, talking, or in some cases, just slacking and eating ice cream.
The two actresses are both engaging, especially Chinatsu, who was endearing in her affection for her friend, as well as her pain about not finding someone to return her love. There is one scene where Chinatsu is literally begging Kiyoko to love her back, which is particularly painful to watch. Kiyoko's character could just come off as one-dimensional and selfish, but she obviously cares for her friend, even though she knows she can only take the relationship so far to be true to herself and her best friend.
Love/Juice is a realistic, modern look at female friendships, an interesting peek into contemporary Japanese youth culture, and a fresh twist on the ages-old story of unrequited love.
