Watches
June 15, 2021
Early Teruo Ishii film. Like most of his early work, Sexy Line isn't that remarkable and nothing like the films that made Ishii famous. It's a pretty basic Japanese noir, a crime story that sticks to the beaten path and only rises above itself in very select scenes. But even then, it's quite a bit better than some of its more famous US alternatives.
Sexy Line is a story about two individuals who find and need each other. Hiroshi is being wrongfully accused of murder, Mayumi is a pickpocket who's been forced to work for a gang of criminals. The both of them hook up to search for the real killer of Mayumi's lover, but the gang controlling Mayumi isn't too pleased with their plans.
The plot really isn't all that interesting, the jazzy soundtrack feels a bit too familiar, the actors are decent but nothing spectacular. The black and white cinematography knows a couple of remarkable spikes, especially the rich contrast and the camera work stand out. Not quite enough to save the film, but noir fans will find quite a bit to like here.