There’s probably little one can say to convince some people to see certain films. I’d love to think I could persuade everyone who reads this that Tokyo! is a wonderful picture that deserves your patronage.

I fear, however, that my hopes will be dashed upon describing it. For here is trio of films, loosely connected by the central motif of Tokyo, in which a woman with low self-worth turns into a chair to be more useful; a man from the sewers terrorizes Tokyo with his lack of hygiene, manners, and regard for public safety; and a hermit is snapped from his obsessive-compulsive routine by the look in a pretty pizza delivery girl’s eyes.

This is a film that will make some viewers declare, “God, that’s so weird!

They’ve been warned. But I’d like to add the following:

Yes, this movie is bizarre, but not in either the arty sense or the impenetrable David Lynch sense. Basically, it’s just one damn thing after another – especially the middle tale, Merde, which plays like a Family Guy non sequitur.

Furthermore, it knows it’s bizarre, and has fun being bizarre. And if you can put aside for a moment whatever initial bafflement it may cause, perhaps you can have fun with it, too.

Published in Volume 63, Number 28 of The Uniter (June 18, 2009)