Enrai (1981)

At first glance, an ordinary Japanese sex movie, but it turns out to be quite different. Exactly as beavis puts it: A film that combines serious drama with typical pinku elements. A very serious film about a tomato grower (with his greenhouse right in the middle of apartment buildings in a residential area!) who struggles to keep his head above water financially. His only pleasures consist of casual flings in his greenhouse and getting drunk with his friends. But he is also looking for a wife who, once married, can help him with the work in the greenhouse. That is why he goes on dates. But the girl he meets through this isn't exactly eager. And then there is his friend Koji, who is constantly getting into trouble. And then it turns out: friendship is more important than sex and love.

Okay, it is not a great masterpiece, and the ravages of time do detract from it somewhat. The film also gets off to a bit of a slow start, and it takes a while for it to pick up pace and gain some depth. But there are also many funny moments in it, and I found the ending moving. Certainly not a bad film.

Translated from Dutch · View original