Akiko, a young, beautiful woman, is a student by day, but when it comes to nighttime, she moonlights as a call girl. When Akiko is sent to a new client in the suburbs, she is surprised to find the shy and elderly, Takashi, an academic widower. Takashi is a lonely man who appears to be more interested in compaionship than sex, leading to Akiko falling asleep, alone, in his bed. Abbas Kiarostami's Like Someone In Love is the classic example of a film which people are destined to say "is about nothing". While I can understand the frustration by some viewers, Like Someone in Love's incredibly simple story is all about the relationship which forms between Akiko and Taksahi. There is a sequence in the beginning of the film which simply yet effectively captures the person which Akiko has become. After getting into a fight with her handler, Akiko folds under the pressure of his demands and gets into a cab headed for her new client. Akiko was hoping to see her grandmother, who was visiting, and as she gets in the cab she listens to her grandmother's voicemails. Each message feels like a ticking time bomb, as the grandmother's desperation to see her granddaughter grows more and more. Kiarostrami shoots this entire sequence with one single static shot, transfixed on Akiko, a young woman who really has no control over her life whatsoever. It is a simplistic, yet devastating sequence which perfectly illustrates how little control Akiko has over her own decisions even when it comes to seeing her own grandmother. Takashi's character is far less defined but through subtle storytelling Kiastromi paints a portrait of a lonely old man whose beginning to feel the effects of father time. The other principle character in Like Someone In Love is Akiko's boyfriend, Noriaki. Noriaki is a man with a temper and really the link to understanding Kiastromi's intentions. Norikai is almost just like another pimp to Akiko, a strong-willed man who essentially pushes Akiko around. Through seeing how Noriaki treats Akiko the viewer begins to understand exactly why Akiko is such a passive character. Through the entire film Takashi is the only character who seems to value Akiko's desires and interests, and the two of them each give the other something they solely are lacking. For Takashi is is simply companionship but for Akiko she is able to see what it is like to be around someone who respects her. While I wasn't big on the abrupt ending, LIke Someone In Love is a simple yet effective character study thats engaging, even if it does keep its viewer at arms length. 7.5/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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