Cold Fish is a Japanese film directed by Sion Sono starring Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Denden, Asuka Kurosawa and Megumi Kagurazaka.
“Cold Fish” is a film that aspires to be distinct, both in its screenplay (based on a true story, by the way) and its execution. It manages to engage the audience in a somber contemplation of loneliness, the human soul, and the terrible secrets it carries.
Labeling it as horror would be a mistake. A thriller? Only at times. An intimate portrayal of sordid characters? Yes, but it refuses to fit neatly into any genre, striving to become a unique film that transcends comparison.
And unique it is, without a doubt.
Storyline
A girl steals from a shopping mall. Her father, Shamoto, comes to her rescue. At this place, he encounters a mysterious character who begins to help him, offering his daughter a chance at a better life. Gradually, the lives of these two men become intertwined in a dark tale of murder, eroticism, and business.
About the movie
“Cold Fish” aims to be distinct, unique, and chaotic, and it achieves this 100%. It successfully keeps its intentions ambiguous, constantly surprising and captivating its audience. It can be interpreted as a tragedy that could also be seen as a comedy, a thriller, or even a horror film. There are no words to fully describe this masterpiece, which is bound to evoke different reactions but never leaves its viewers indifferent to the power, cruelty, and storytelling spirit it possesses.
It presents a tale about the human soul and its secrets, a journey through the sordid and the perpetual duality between eroticism and death, cruelty and romance. Ultimately, it is a love story or a descent into hell, narrated sometimes in a raw manner and sometimes with deliberate artificiality. It is an artifice in itself, ironically based on a true story.
To give you an idea: it’s a story filled with cruelty that borders on gore. In terms of aesthetics: it’s both vulgar and exquisite, always seeking an eccentric perspective in the portrayal of characters and cinematic formula.
It manages to entertain, amuse, and even excite, while constantly playing with cruel and savage irony, with the empty humor of a black hole in flames, 4.6 billion years after its birth.
Our opinion
From the very beginning, this film will surprise you. It’s strange, vulgar, exquisite, intelligent, and abrupt all at once. A cruel comedy about the human soul that is both terrifying and fascinating to approach.
