Seven years have passed since Aoyama lost his wife. Now feeling ready to move on with his life, he wants to remarry—but there’s one problem: how will he find the right woman? A friend decides to help by organising an “audition” for a fake film project, where 30 women are invited to present themselves and showcase their talents. Aoyama becomes enamoured with one of them—the quiet, melancholic Asami. She seems like a sweet young woman, but beneath her polite surface lie deep wounds that will never heal.
This Japanese film begins like any ordinary drama and only transforms into a grotesque affair during its final half-hour.
Anyone familiar with Takashi Miike knows what to expect: skilful direction and extreme violence. Known for films like Ichi the Killer and Dead or Alive, Miike brings his unique style here as well—though Audition differs from those works. It leans much more heavily on drama and emotional bleakness than on action. It’s hard to categorise this film; while it may appeal to horror fans, it arguably belongs more to the drama genre, as it is, at its core, a tragic story. Themes of abuse and depression are not easy to portray on screen, but Miike does so with disturbing elegance, exploring the darker corners of the human psyche.
The film isn’t traditionally frightening, but certain scenes are deeply unsettling and extremely violent. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted—viewers are treated to vomit, mutilation, and scenes of starvation so dire the victims eat willingly. Unfortunately, the story is quite predictable, and the buildup is slow before descending into a bizarre, disorienting climax where fantasy and reality blur. That’s fine in itself, but I must admit to feeling slightly disappointed—especially when compared to Miike’s Ichi the Killer.
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