He sets out in search of one treasure but finds another, in the shape of Saeko, a vibrant young woman who possesses a bizarre, secret gift. Fluid builds up in her body and she needs, in her words, "to do something wicked" to release it. So when Saeko indulges in sex or shoplifting she becomes a human geezer, with warm, mysterious, life-enhancing water gushing from her body. The two strangers become friends and lovers, but their happiness is imperiled by the arrival of Yosuke's mercenary old friends.

DID YOU KNOW?
	Director Shohei Imamura has twice won the prestigious Palme d'Or, for The Ballad of Narayama (1983) and The Eel (1997)   Koji Yakusho (Yosake) was born Koji Hashimoto. His stage name means either 'acting versatility' or 'municipal office' and was chosen in part as a reference to the fact he worked in an office for several years before becoming an actor.

Shohei Imamura was well into his 70s when he directed Warm Water Under a Red Bridge. A successful and acknowledged master of cinema he clearly doesn't need the work, but obviously he remains fascinated by movies and in love with the possibilities they present. His passion is here evinced by a predilection for colourful, quirky images, a refreshingly upbeat narrative and a willingness to immerse audiences in such an outré storyline. Warm Water somehow suggests a blend of Frank Capra and Kurosawa, with the carefree comedy and oddball characters of the former colliding with the mythology and Japanese tradition so venerated by the latter.

Misa Shimizu plays the difficult role of Saeko with a kind of youthful timidity tempered by tingling excitement. Best known for another collaboration with Imamura, The Eel, she stars opposite Koji Yakusho, familiar from Masayuki Subo's award-winning, Shall We Dance (1996). The couple's chemistry and Imamura's direction ensure that the movie glistens, succeeding both as an erotic comedy and a bold but breezy parable.

Gavin Collinson

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