If you want to read my review of Like Someone in Love, read this post. In ライク・サムワン・イン・ラブ, Akiko is a college student and call girl. She’s been hired by an elderly client, and over the next few hours, they’ll develop a relationship that goes beyond the circumstances of the sex.
Akiko (Rin Takanashi) hides the fact that she is a prostitute from her boyfriend. The new client is a close friend of her pimp, Hiroshi-san. However, that night, she didn’t want to go out with anyone. Because she had plans to see her grandmother, who came from the countryside.
“Tonight, I can’t. I have to revise. I crammed all night and didn’t sleep a wink. I’m exhausted. And my grandmother is here.”
Takashi Watanabe (Tadashi Okuno) is a writer, book translator, former college professor, and occasional lecturer. Since he lost his wife, all he has left is work to ease the lonely days.
“I’ve been waiting some time.”
That night, Akiko wanted to have dinner with her grandmother and had a test the next day. Because of that, she didn’t want to see her boyfriend, Noriaki, or meet the new client, Watanabe-san. However, she gave in to the pimp’s pressure and got into the taxi. Arriving there, she had dinner set on the table and a very popular gentleman to entertain. But, things didn’t turn out as expected.
Like Someone in Love: japanese movie review
Akiko wasn’t living the best of her days. She had to conciliate college during the day, work in prostitution at night, and a jealous, controlling, clueless boyfriend who didn’t believe what she said or where she was.
“He asked me to count the tiles on the floor. That way, he’ll go himself count them and know that a lied.”
Besides the irritation with the abusive relationship, tiredness with the studies and sadness for not being able to meet with the grandmother, she arrived at Watanabe-san’s house in a very relaxed way and wanting to know who this important gentleman was, to the point that Hiroshi-san forced her to spend the night with him
“You live alone? You’re someone important?”
Watanabe-san welcomed her very well and played along with Akiko’s pleasantries and jokes. However, he was looking forward to a romantic evening, after days of hard work late into the night.
“Come have some wine instead.”
Akiko asks to go to the bathroom, and while Watanabe-san pours two glasses of wine and lights the candles, she leaves the bathroom and explores the rest of the apartment. Mainly his room.
“Come warm me up in the bed.”
The next morning, Watanabe-san leaves Akiko at the entrance of the college, so that she can take the test. Unfortunately, Noriaki was waiting for her at the door. They fought and after Akiko entered the building, Noriaki brought up the subject with Watanabe-san.
“You must be her grandfather, right?”
Noriaki owns a mechanic shop and offers his services after identifying a problem with Watanabe-san’s car. Until then, Noriaki thought he was helping his girlfriend’s uncle and not the customer. Until they find a common acquaintance who will reveal the real identity of this gentleman and confirm the suspicions that Akiko worked in the sex industry.
Reviewing Like Someone in Love: working as a prostitute
It was heartbreaking to see Akiko listening to all the voicemails left by her grandmother, to see her walk past the meeting point, to see her grandmother waiting and have to ignore it and go to the evening customer.
Working in the sexual pleasure industry seems to have many moments of personal displeasure. You need to put problems aside and serve customers in the most positive way possible.
In addition, the prejudice surrounding the profession means that you have to hide what you do for a living from as many people as possible. It doesn’t seem to be very rewarding.
Why you should watch Like Someone in Love
I won’t leave Like Someone in Love ending explained or a download link here, but I think that if you want to know what life is like as a person working in the sex industry, this Japanese film is a good choice and if you want to enter that life, consider all the adversities that Akiko had to face.
It also portrays the dangers involved in falling in love with a call girl, knowing or not what she does. Other than that, this Japanese movie has a wonderful soundtrack filled with jazz to rock the cosmopolitan images of Tokyo at night, that I love.
Like Someone in Love trailer
I really feel that you will like this one. So I decided to do this Raiku Samuwan In Rabu review. Go ahead, immerse yourself in the story, the environment and the soundtrack.
And come back later to tell me what you think in the comments. This was one of the most immersive Japanese movies I’ve ever seen.
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