All About Lily Chou-Chou
(Home Vision Entertainment)

Engrossing and often disturbing, this 2001 import examines the lives of several young teenagers growing up in a small city in rural Japan. The film’s running narrative is voiced through a chat room occupied by fans of an enigmatic singer named Lily Chou-Chou, who’s musical “ether” holds a special magic for 14 year-old boys. Their devotion to the pop idol is a jumping-off point for the rest of the story, touching upon academic pressure, crime, rape, suicide and murder – issues that deeply affect Japanese youth. One particularly harrowing sequence depicts the repeated humiliation of a young girl, singled out by several cruel classmates, seemingly because she excels at playing the piano. In the ‘making of’ documentary, I was stunned to learn that the actress (Ayumi Ito) had never played piano before and had studied Debussy intensely for the role. My girlfriend (the Steinway expert) was suitably impressed by her performance and gave Ayumi’s technique a thumbs-up.

Director Shunji Iwai juxtaposes the angst-ridden script with stunning visual compositions rife with glorious color that mirrors the emotional intensity of each scene. A scene shot by the young actors using hand-held digital cameras is particularly effective and serves as a bridge to a crucial change in the lives of the main characters. He also deviates from using a strictly linear plot and jumps back and forth in time when necessary. For those interested in new Asian cinema and in particular, an accurate portrayal of Japanese culture, put All About Lily Chou-Chou on your viewing list and prepare to be surprised.