Visitor Q (Bijitâ Q)

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Cast

Shungiku Uchida
as Keiko Yamazaki

Kenichi Endo

Kazushi Watanabe

Shôko Nakahara

Fujiko

Jun Muto

Ikko Suzuki

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Critic Reviews for Visitor Q (Bijitâ Q)

Audience Reviews for Visitor Q (Bijitâ Q)

• Dec 13, 2011

  It's hard to plainly say I "like" Visitor Q because its subject matter is so disturbing, but viewing it in the long, rich tradition of experimental films coupled with a dash of art-house form, Visitor Q does have its merits. Films of this ilk don't merely exist to shock and appal the viewer (although that's certainly part of it) they are meant to convey a series of themes and messages residing (at times even hiding) underneath the surface--it's just harder to find those messages with the constant barrage of stirring and bizarre imagery. While Visitor Q probably isn't as biting as Pasolini, as purposeful as Jorodowsky, or as satirical as Bunuel, it does speak to the amazing versatility of Taskashi Miike. Here, he plays with form so masterfully. The cross-cutting between these insane scenes; the background imagery; the rare moments of pathos were pathos shouldn't be; the quick tonal shifts, and the seamless transitioning between hand-held and pull-ins to put you, the viewer, in a creepy voyeuristic position, a front row seat to the perverse happenings. That position made me feel very uncomfortable -- and therein lies the point: with our endless fascination with "reality TV," we line up in droves to watch people, family, friends' most intimate occurrences play out in front of us as "entertainment." In the case of celebrity, one can make a great argument that we love watching people crumble in front of our very eyes as well. Where is the line? How much disintegration can we handle, since we, in a way, ask for it? Miike is able to take these ideas (along with a commentary on the "do nothing" state of the modern family, and the fragility of Japanese culture), and integrate them into an experimental, art-house, comedy thriller. In fact, you probably can't lump this film into one genre -- and yet, it plays effortlessly. That's a triumph. This film will challenge you in ways few can. Whether you like it or not, it will stimulate you. It takes an astute viewer to see beyond the horrific, but if you like and/or are open to the truly exaggerated, surreal and confrontational, you might get something more out of Visitor Q than meets the eye.
  Jonathan H Super Reviewer
• Dec 08, 2011

  Typical family dysfunction taken to the nth degree. The fact that it is shot with video makes it all the more disturbing and gives a sense of realism to the truly bizarre. It is one of the only times I felt like I was being a voyeur. Hell, it could be the future of reality television. It is incredibly shocking and that is the point of it. I get it. And I cannot think of a good reason why I would want to watch this again seeing as I had no fun at all watching it this time. If that makes me not a "real movie buff", so be it.
  Reid V Super Reviewer
• Oct 17, 2011

  I dont like Miike's Ichii and felt like I should avoid his movie but then I watched Audition and thought that maybe after all I was wrong about his movies but then I watched this movie..... what a piece of shit.
  Cita W Super Reviewer
• Sep 15, 2010

  Crazy, insane, unique, and yet the most interesting story about repairing a dysfunctional family that I have ever seen. This film by Miike isn't great as say Audition, Ichi The Killer, or Sukiyaki Western Django, but it is still very good and it is another example of why he is one of the most creative and successful Japanese directors in Cinema today.
  ZACHO D Super Reviewer

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