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THE NEIGHBOR NO. THIRTEEN
A film that offers a wicked twist on the age-old theme of a wimp taking revenge on his tormentors, this is a harsh, violent piece of work with an assured and compelling visual style. It is quite simply one of the strongest Japanese genre efforts to hit these shores in some time.
The Package
THE NEIGHBOR NO. THIRTEEN (RINJIN 13-go) was adapted from a manga by Santa
Inoue about a tormented nerd who as an adult develops a split personality whose
darker half embarks on a killing rampage. Inoue’s long-running comic was
apparently all the rage in Japan during the nineties, and several film
adaptations were contemplated. It wasn’t until 2004, however, that a movie
version finally went forward under the tutelage of first-time director Yasuo
Inque, a longtime commercial and music video whiz. Notable cast members
included Yumi Yoshimura, of the popular Japanese musical series PUFFY, and
director Takashi Miike, whose distinct brand of over-the-top moviemaking was an
obvious template.
The Story
Juzo is a skinny nerd who always wears a geeky orange vest. As a kid he’s
tortured by his classmates in every imaginable manner, with the sadistic Akai
orchestrating the abuse. As a grown-up Juzo is still a nerd, with an orange
vest identical to the one he wore as a kid. The adult Akai is still in Juzo’s
life, and in more ways than one: not only has Akai, together with his fetching
wife and young son, just moved into the apartment complex where Juzo lives, but
he’s also the supervisor of a construction site where Juzo has started work.
Akai’s abusive side once again rears its ugly head as in his supervisory role he
bullies Juzo unmercifully. But now it seems Juzo has a new friend, No.
Thirteen, a big, scary dude with a scarred face and discolored left eye who’s
actually Juzo’s alter ego. No. Thirteen lives in a hallucinatory house located
somewhere in Juzo’s subconscious, and begins to make periodic appearances in the
real world to right the wrongs done to Juzo.
The problem is that No. Thirteen doesn’t just practice his unique brand of
revenge on Juzo’s enemies; one of his first victims is a close friend and
workmate of Juzo, who ends up beaten to death. Another victim is an annoying
neighbor who makes the mistake of yelling at No. Thirteen...and pays for it big
time. As you might expect, No. Thirteen next sets his sights on Akai and his
family. Juzo, knowing full well what his alter ego is capable of, tries to
intervene, but only succeeds in makes things worse. He’s put in charge of
looking after Akai’s kid for a day while Akai and his wife are at the movies. Juzo
takes the kid to an amusement park where No. Thirteen appears and tries to drown
the tyke in a restroom sink. Another guy, a tough gangster, tries to intervene,
but is no match for No. Thirteen. Thirteen then kidnaps the boy, who proves an
ideal bargaining point in his final showdown with Akai. That showdown takes
place in Juzo’s old school, where both Juzo and Akai confront the increasingly
unhinged No. Thirteen.
The Direction
This film marked Yasuo Inoue’s feature debut, but it doesn’t feel like a
first-time effort. It’s a confident piece of work with a really distinct sense
of style, marked by measured pacing that constantly undermines the traditional
action-horror movie rhythms we’ve come to expect. It’s also a surprisingly
mature film in the way it deals with childhood bullying and its consequences in
a far from glib manner--Inoue’s approach is thoughtful and respectful to a
fault, especially when one considers the less-than-refined nature of the
original manga (which is filled with gratuitous violence and glimpses up ladies’
skirts).
From the start Inoue creates a sweaty, grungy air of impending brutality
that hangs over the film like shroud. The onscreen nastiness isn’t all that
prevalent (only four people die!), but violence is always in the air, conjured
by gritty cinematography and an ever-present sense of coiled tension.
Inoue deserves credit for his work with the actors, all of whom turn in
first-rate performances. This includes Yumi Yoshimura, best known for the
above-mentioned PUFFY and, by her own admission, not an actress. The lead
performers Shido Makamura and Shun Oguri are also quite impressive, playing
different facets of the same character; as in FIGHT CLUB, Inoue imparts his
schizophrenic protagonist by casting two distinct actors, a technique that works
extremely well in a bold and unpredictable film that likewise works extremely
well.
Vital Statistics
NEIGHBOR NO. THIRTEEN (RINJIN
13-go)
Media Suits/Amuse Soft Entertainment
Director: Yasuo Inque
Producers: Yoshinori Chiba, Hajime Kohama
Screenplay: Jaime Kado
(Based on the manga by Santa Inoue)
Cinematography: Taro Kawadu
Editing: Urahama Taro, Shojiro Urahama
Cast: Shido Nakamura, Shun Oguri, Hirofumi Arai, Yumi Yoshimura, Tomoya Ishii,
Minoru Mastsumoto, Gekidanhitori, Mitsuru Murata, Takashi Miike