Last Life in the Universe

Thailand / Japan 2003, 104 minutes
Dir. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
In Thai, Japanese with English subtitles
Rating: [R16]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Drama

Feat. Tadanobu Asano, Riki Takeuchi, Sinitta Boonyasak

Aroview: With a cool command of the aloof, this strange, seductive noir-romance merges the soulless existence of a suicidal librarian (Asano), a beautiful pot-smoking prostitute (Boonyasak), and a marauding gang of yazuka (inc. bad boy dir. Takashi Miike) in exotic Bangkok with consummate style and mood.

Thanks in no small part to the hypnotic lens work of Christopher Doyle (Wong Kar-wai's regular cinematographer), the languid, existential rhythm of Ratanaruang’s direction gains a dreamy tangibility, jolted by occasional bursts of deadpan humour and violence. A sublime love story to get high on.

NZ International Film Festival 2004