The Kiss (Japanese: 接吻) is a 2007 Japanese crime drama film directed by Kunitoshi Manda, starring Eiko Koike, Etsushi Toyokawa and Toru Nakamura.

The Kiss
Poster
Directed byKunitoshi Manda
Written byKunitoshi Manda
Tamami Manda
Produced byTakenori Sento
StarringEiko Koike
Etsushi Toyokawa
Toru Nakamura
CinematographyMakoto Watanabe
Music byHiroyuki Nagashima
Release dates
  • November 22, 2007 (2007-11-22) (Tokyo FILMeX)
  • March 8, 2008 (2008-03-08) (Japan)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

edit

Kyoko Endo (Eiko Koike), a young and lonely female office worker, falls in love with Akio Sakaguchi (Etsushi Toyokawa), a man in prison for killing a whole family, at first sight when she watches a television news program telling about him. But Hasegawa (Toru Nakamura), his lawyer, worries about their relationship.

Cast

edit

Release

edit

The 9th Jeonju International Film Festival opened with the world premiere of The Kiss in May 2008.[1]

Reception

edit

Lee Hyo-won of The Korea Times said, "The film traces delicate human relationships and all its melodrama, all the while expressing ― or suppressing ― emotions with restraint."[2] Japanese film critic Inuhiko Yomota said, "I think it's a fantastic film."[3] The film was listed by the Film Comment magazine as their "18 Films to Look Out For" in 2008 and Japanese film critic Shigehiko Hasumi said, "The ending is astonishing and all three actors are excellent, in particular Eiko Koike, who plays the young woman."[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ Noh, Jean (April 2, 2008). "Jeonju to kick off ninth edition with Kunitoshi's The Kiss". Screen Daily.
  2. ^ Hyo-won, Lee (April 17, 2008). "Jeonju Welcomes World Cineastes". The Korea Times.
  3. ^ Amit, Rea (February 5, 2009). "Midnight interview: Inuhiko Yomota". Midnight Eye.
  4. ^ Hasumi, Shigehiko (January–February 2008). "Terra Incognita: 18 Films to Look Out For". Film Comment.
edit