'All about Lily Chou Chou' Film Review

'All about Lily Chou Chou' Adolescence and the Earliest age of social media stan culture. 

The movie revolves around the theme of coming of age, where a group of high school students turn to crime in a cruel world where sincerity is lost and good natured children are changed by their experiences in the society into bullying manipulative controlling abusive adults. It also depicts the lives of 14-year-old students in Japan and the influence that mysterious pop diva Lily Chou Chou music has had on them. It was Directed by Shunji Iwai.

The story of Yuichi, a 14 year old Japanese boy in the rural area of Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture . Just like the childs who’s in the process of becoming a teen. Yuichi is an introverted child. He’s only interest is Kuno, which is her beautiful and talented classmate and Lily Chou Chou a pop singer. For him the world exist by two, the school which he was extremely being beaten by the bullies and the internet which he is known as “philia” a chat room for Lily Chou Chou fans. With the setting of cruelty and physical abuse at school. Internet is the only solace for these young people of whom many can feel the Ether ( god-like element, and a substance that allowed humans to connect to spirituality and intuition ) Lily Chou Chou the rock star is the Ether personified for these fans. She liberates thoughts through her music. A sense of sincere love and devotion to some transcendent beauty, as well as salvation and refuge. These kids try to find solace online to escape their pain on the Internet.

Yuichi just wants to have a sense of belonging. But to do that he needs to be free and decide for himself which chidren of his age tends to find it hard to do. Throughout the story he is constantly changing and becoming more like an adult physically while he is also becoming more and more disconnected and away from his own well being. He eventually loses sight of who he is and what he stands for, to the point where he just gives up and starts acting in accordance with Hoshino's orders, including committing crimes.

On the other hand, Hoshino only wants power and control. He changes a lot over the narrative. Perhaps the most significant story in the entire movie is the one about his transformation since it reflected the movie's theme. As we go back to the story. Hoshino was the best student of his school, and class president at Ayu Elementary. Yuichi and Hoshino are good friends, spend a lot of time together, they both do Kendo. Hoshino is smart, the best student, and the best athlete. He is the one who initially presents as a good natured child, but after coming of age and encountering death, he turns violent and cunning.

As hoshino turns into sadist, he forces yuichi to steal money and give it to him. While he also threatened Yu Aoi into prostitution to make her give the money. 

The girl who was chosen to play the piano for the class's participation in a choral competition is unable to do so adequately. Despite Kuno's talent as a pianist, the other girls start to tease and humiliate her until she quits. Kuno modifies the composition so that they can perform without a keyboard and acappella. Yuichi allows Hoshino to arrange Kuno to be raped. While this happens other girls are watching and laughing, and Yuichi is crying. This is the pinnacle of how far Yuichi and Hoshino have gone in relation to when they were still friends and even though yuichi likes kuno he can’t do anything as he was being bullied too. 

A scene where yuichi standing alone in a wide rice field, handling his headphones and listening to a song seemingly symbolizes as he is cutting off from the world. His headphones is blasting the singer haunting and dreamy voice. The scene feels ethereal and amazing as the camera works gives more feelings. Standing he cares about nothing and everything at the same time. The boy's feelings and current situation are established in this excellent scene. 

While the online chatroom of Lily's fans are flashing to the scene telling how much they love her and how her music means to them. Telling facts about her such her birthday and fighting off people who don't like her. It's how the social media stanning starts of in the earliest era of internet. 

Tokyo hosts a live performance by Lily Chou-Chou. One of the most devastating images is when Yuichi is left alone and staring at a blank screen after Hoshino tosses away his ticket, preventing him from attending the concert. When the show is complete and everyone is leaving, Hoshino stops by and gives Yuichi a pat on the back. Everyone starts to flee as Yuichi begins to scream in the middle of the mob. Hoshino is stabbed by Yuichi, and as a result, he drops to the ground, dying. Yuichi starts to try to learn how to play the piano at home and dyes his hair. As it symbolizes of him starting a new life.

Although the film's plot seems disorganized and occasionally difficult to follow, it is amazing that the pieces all fit together so effectively. The movie is first and foremost non-linear and shuttered in terms of timeline. The film accentuates the sensation of being cut off and the sense of being lost.

Despite having a non-traditional narrative approach, All about Lily Chou-Chou nonetheless manages to adhere to some of the fundamental rules of storytelling. More significantly, it develops a fascinating narrative that maintains suspense and intrigue right up to the very end. The film's editing is lively and fresh, appealing to the senses of a young, pop-cultured, yet sophisticated audience.

The film is an eye opener on how bullying can affects someone’s way of thinking and life just like the characters in the story who commits physical abuse, rape, violence, stealing and murder. It gives a huge impression on how everyone is broke and tries hard to escape . It's taking us inside the insights of the teen life world and it's electronic expression through cyber culture. The story occurs in the earliest age of internet . As yuichi connects with his co fans met through Lily Chou Chou music as an escape on his cruel life, this scenario are still happening in this generation. Teens escape on reality is internet.

 

Shunji Iwai portrays a lot through this film. Bullying, suicide, murder, violence, prostitution, rape,  depression and existential crisis. Overall it conveys a simple message in an unusual story line and visula style. It's a tragic story about friendship and betrayal.

It's dark, disturbing and cruel on it's own presentation but manages to gives distinct, detailed and symbolic profound of the story. It discusses the troubles of youth in Japan. It portrays how fragile the youth, how easy corruptable their minds can be. 

In today's modern generation dominated by online interactions. This film is more relevant than ever before. Shunji Iwai wants to represents this angst in more realistic manner that would connect to the audience.