Newlyweds Yuji and Akiko are struggling with money and the stress is taking a toll on their love life. However, their lives are given a different perspective after Yuji suffers a hard day at work on a low budget pink film and Akiko attends a reunion where an old fling is set to show. Director Toshiki Sato leans on his years of experience within the pink film industry to create a comedy with heart and admiration for the filmmaking process.
Tokyo Booty Nights is available from Pink Eiga
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“Tokyo Booty Nights” shows its budget, with even the cast in the film complaining about the lack of pay (another nice touch of meta commentary). As such, the production looks pretty muddy and locations are limited to a few rooms. Despite the competent camera work and direction of Toshiki Sato, the film is undeniably rough. However, for fans of pink cinema from all decades, the movie fits well within the early 2000's style that worked on microbudgets and had yet to take the leap to digital.
A comedy that is self aware, “Tokyo Booty Nights” intersplices memorable moments of absurdity between the regular light erotic fare of the genre. While the film falters to titillate with most of the eroticism coming from multiple failed attempts of Yuji to land the convincing orgasm in front of a stubborn director, the humor lands well thanks to director Sato's poking fun at the industry he had decades of experience within. Notably, the production goes slightly meta with a grumpy demanding director falling in love with his actress and isolating the rest of the cast in the process. This character also has one of the best lines in the feature when it is decided they will shoot an actual hardcore scene as he yells in excitement “It has been twenty years since I shot a hardcore movie in Europe…it was called REALM OF THE SENSIES!”.
Not to be restricted just by the comedic elements, the film goes with a familiar theme of the genre of odd sexual exploits working to fix a troubled relationship. Cliche for certain, but in the case of “Tokyo Booty Nights” there is a nice sincerity that seems to reflect an equal appreciation for the genre, and understanding of its ‘deviant content' does not necessarily reflect all those involved in making the film. Consequently, the story ends on a very optimistic note for both Yuji and Akiko and their marriage.
The performances are serviceable, though the endurance test that Yohta Kawase went through in trying to fake an orgasm for the bulk of the run time deserves special mention, both in humorous nature and commitment. Regardless, the cast performs well together, embracing the more absurd moments. Certainly, the comedy is much more refined and enjoyable due to the actors playing the script in a straight manner.
“Tokyo Booty Nights” is a wondrous homage to pink cinema, punctuated by a script that that is equal parts uproariously funny and touching. While it is unlikely to appease new comers to the genre, particularly those who will be detracted by the micro budget aesthetic, the production will appease the existing audience who have embraced the genre.
