Chizuru Ikewaki in Joze, the Tiger and the Fish (2003)

Clips

Pics

Review

A hedonistic teen and a reclusive bookworm develop an unlikely bond in the closely observed Japanese character study Joze, the Tiger and the Fish (2003). Challenged by his pals to find out what an enigmatic old woman carries to and fro in her cart, Tsuneo (Tsumabuki Satoshi) approaches the spinster and discovers that she’s scavenging for books. As it turns out, the woman is helping to feed the intellect of her precocious granddaughter (Chizuru Ikewaki), a beautiful young woman who has withdrawn from the world. Tsuneo takes an interest, and before long he’s allowed the young sex kitten to tame his wayward ways. Director Isshin Inudou captures Tsuneo and his new lover in the throes of carnal passion, but he also spreads the skin around by capturing co-stars Eiko Araya and Anne Mari in moments of candor.