Following some poor financial decisions, Shuji (Seikô Itô) is forced to move his family out of their large mansion in a rich Tokyo suburb. Amidst a sea of cardboard boxes ready for pick-up, his son Yuta (Soran Tamoto) brings a homeless man — who may or may not be dead — into the house.
I guess there’s a whole subgenre of film about unwanted visitors. I never understood the criteria for its existence and largely imagined it to be a horror sub-genre. “Wonderful Paradise” proved me so, so wrong. Masashi Yamamoto directs this wildly inventive movie that turns a simple domestic drama inside out, exposing us to a whole host of insane stories. It starts slowly but builds momentum inch by inch until the film sprints full blast into complete absurdism only ending with a distant touch on reality.
After selling the family’s estate, a patriarch and his family invite strangers over for one last party that quickly turns crazy. A broken father forces his children out of their childhood home after selling it to pay off his debts. As retribution, his daughter invites total strangers to their vacant home to celebrate one last time. With each new guest, a new story gets laid down until all the stories compile on top of each other, twisting and turning in on themselves. Pretty soon, children disappear, a man dies and comes back to life, an Audrey-esque plant grows out of a coffee bean, a spiteful lover ice-picks someone, and opium dealers smoke a LOT of weed throughout one wedding and two funerals.
The film itself builds to these out-of-control stories with incredible ease. The editing and pace of the film rank supreme for this film due to its slow build. The first fifteen minutes hint at a simple domestic drama, layering in new storylines as it goes. Before you know it, guests start to arrive. The genius behind this film is its impressive ability to continue escalating in a manner that doesn’t feel rushed. Only in a handful of moments does the absurdity strike deep and we’re thrown out of the experience.
Much of the cinematography adds to this steady buildup by leveling its camera. With such precise camerawork, nothing feels out of place. Even as the film builds, the images maintain normalcy. There’s no shakycam or insanely elaborate camera moves. There are no special effects up until the true fever pitch, only practical effects. While the special effects come off as cheap, they are saved until the last possible instant and only for the most absurd storyline: a renaissance statue comes to life and battles an alien coffee plant.
Geography in this film shifts, establishing new permanent boundaries with each character. We don’t see the garage until the drug dealers reveal they’re living in it. My favorite example of this absurdist architecture comes to light when a character walks into what is supposed to be the kitchen and it turns out to be a coffee shop. The shifting landscape only adds new dimensions to this space we’re introduced to as a sad house. There’s new life in this building.
It’s hard to describe this film to others. It shares that joyous absurdity Japanese films popularized, reminiscent of non-sequitur horror/comedies like “House.” Only fans who understand and appreciate what happens in these films will truly enjoy them. Still, there’s something to be said for the adept pace and even distribution of this film’s absurdity. This film offers a little bit of everything to everyone if you watch it long enough!
“Wonderful Paradise” recently had its North American Premiere at the 2021 Fantasia Festival
