DCSIMG
 
 

Tony Takitani (2004)

Tony Takitani (2004)
Play Trailer and Clips
Member Rating:  
A man who has lived a life of emotional isolation discovers the dark side of falling in love in this drama from Japanese filmmaker Jun Ichikawa. Tony Takitani (Issey Ogata) is the son of a Japanese musician with a passion for jazz who spent most of World War II in Shanghai, and was later sentenced to a stretch in prison following the war. Tony was named in honor of an American serviceman who befriended his father, but his name also earned him the suspicion of his classmates, and he had few close friends as a child, a situation aggravated by the death of his mother. While Tony displayed great technical skill as an artist, his work lacked feeling, and he ended up pursuing a successful career as a technical illustrator. One day, Tony meets Eiko Konuma (Rie Miyazawa), a beautiful woman working with one of his clients, and he is immediately entranced. Feeling as if he's found his soul mate, Tony becomes fully inspired for the first time in his life, and soon asks Eiko for her hand in marriage. Eiko accepts, but before long Tony discovers she has a financially ruinous fondness for expensive designer clothes. When Tony asks Eiko to cut back on her shopping sprees, it triggers a series of events which show Eiko isn't all Tony imagined her to be, and throws his new satisfaction with life into turmoil. Tony Takitani received its North American premiere at the 2004 Vancouver Film Festival, and was also screened as part of the World Cinema series at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

 Read More


Starring:
Issey OgataRie Miyazawa, (more)
Director(s):
Jun Ichikawa
Format(s):
DVD
View All Versions to rent and buy
 
 
 
 

Synopsis of Tony Takitani

A man who has lived a life of emotional isolation discovers the dark side of falling in love in this drama from Japanese filmmaker Jun Ichikawa. Tony Takitani (Issey Ogata) is the son of a Japanese musician with a passion for jazz who spent most of World War II in Shanghai, and was later sentenced to a stretch in prison following the war. Tony was named in honor of an American serviceman who befriended his father, but his name also earned him the suspicion of his classmates, and he had few close friends as a child, a situation aggravated by the death of his mother. While Tony displayed great technical skill as an artist, his work lacked feeling, and he ended up pursuing a successful career as a technical illustrator. One day, Tony meets Eiko Konuma (Rie Miyazawa), a beautiful woman working with one of his clients, and he is immediately entranced. Feeling as if he's found his soul mate, Tony becomes fully inspired for the first time in his life, and soon asks Eiko for her hand in marriage. Eiko accepts, but before long Tony discovers she has a financially ruinous fondness for expensive designer clothes. When Tony asks Eiko to cut back on her shopping sprees, it triggers a series of events which show Eiko isn't all Tony imagined her to be, and throws his new satisfaction with life into turmoil. Tony Takitani received its North American premiere at the 2004 Vancouver Film Festival, and was also screened as part of the World Cinema series at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
75 mins

Complete Cast of Tony Takitani


Director(s):
Jun Ichikawa
Writer(s):
Jun Ichikawa
Producer(s):
Motoki Ishida
Categories:
Independent Films
Tony Takitani Awards:
  • 2005 - Locarno International Film Festival - FIPRESCI Prize
  • 2005 - Locarno International Film Festival - Special Jury Prize
  • 2005 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Score (Runner-up)
Looking for special editions of Tony Takitani?
See All Versions
Subtitles:
Check All Versions
Closed Captioning:
Check All Versions
 
 
 
 

BY MAIL

 
BuyPreviously Viewed $2.99
(disc, case & artwork) 

New  $15.99
 

IN-STORE

 

ON DEMAND

Blockbuster Instant Video

Watch thousands of movies instantly on your TV, tablet, mobile phone or computer with no monthly subscription. You pay only for what you watch.
 

What's Your Take?

Add to FavoritesIn Favorites  |  Share:     Email to a friendShare on FacebookShare on Twitter
    YOUR REVIEW
    WRITE A REVIEW
     
    1000 
     
    Member Reviews
     
    James V.

    All about belongings, loss, loneliness and depression (is there a more depressed civilization than Japan? Or is it just their movies?), TONY TAKITANI is a very small jewel, the value of which will depend enormously on the patience of the viewer. Barely 70 minutes long (plus credits), it moves at a stately pace, with the performances, direction, writing and wonderful music (by Ryuichi Sakamoto) all adding to a graceful, quiet whole. Or hole, depending on your judgment. The characters alternate between narrating the story and speaking the dialog; the palette is mostly drained of color; and the images, while never sharp, are not quite fuzzy. What happens is obvious but strange, and by the end a tiny step may have been taken by the protagonist. Or maybe not. I can't say I enjoyed this movie but I found it interesting and thought- and feeling-provoking. "Tony Takitani" doesn’t really compare to any person--or any movie--you'll have seen, I think.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Christina P.

    Certainly unique in its storytelling technique. Not really an interesting story, though. Fortunately very short.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Ann C.

    A cryptic story that omits more than it reveals. It offers no full explanation of a life-changing event. Grey, ghostly and mysterious. Like me, you may appreciate it more when you've had a chance to think about it afterwards.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Read All 5 Reviews