Call Boy

Call Boy, directed by Daisuke Miura and released in 2018, is an intriguing Japanese drama centered around the rather controversial and provocative theme of prostitution. This film is an adaptation of novelist Ira Ishida's award-winning book that tackles the complexities of human interactions and the sexual desires that interweave individuals from all walks of life in modern-day Tokyo. The film intricately articulates the themes of passion, sentiment, vulnerability, and, most predominantly, the desire for intimacy among men and women.

Leading the film’s narrative is Ryo Morinaka, portrayed with dignified finesse by Tori Matsuzaka. Ryo is a failed university student languishing in a monotonous existence, seemingly trapped in a humdrum job at a bookstore while nursing an unrequited love for his platonic friend, who is unfortunately oblivious to his feelings. His incredibly humdrum existence takes an unexpected turn when he is an accidental recruit into the throbbing underbelly of Tokyo's hidden adult entertainment scene.

Seemingly complicit in his new role, Ryo takes on the persona of a male escort, employed by a high-class club catering to the mature, wealthy women in Tokyo searching for companionship and love. More than a simple male gigolo, a call boy, as the title alludes, is meant to be a professional, charming assistant, an attractive companion English gentlemen in Victorian times would summon to provide company and conversation. Ryo, accordingly, finds himself entrenched not just in a career where he is privy to incomplete, one-sided love affairs and obsessions, but at a granular level, delving into the unspoken depths of Tokyo's sexually active, mature women.

Sei Matobu handles the role of Shizuka brilliantly, a middle-aged female client who subtly controls Ryo, meticulously tutoring him to meet her exact specifications. Yet, unpredictably, Shizuka herself ends up entrapped in an obsession she never anticipated. Ami Tomite and Kenta Izuka further play pivotal roles, with Tomite brilliantly depicting Ryo's indifferent girlfriend, while Izuka shines as a potential competitor, another recruit who is meant to go beyond borders.

Call Boy embraces the notion of individualism and identity. The story remarkably maps Ryo's trajectory from a nondescript, failed university student to a call boy, a transformation entailing the exploration of female sexuality, and in turn, his own emotional state. Tokyo, with its waking bright lights and sleepless nights, becomes the perfect backdrop, a city providing the anonymity desired by the characters.

Director Daisuke Miura presents an uncompromising approach throughout the movie, vividly capturing the raw, sexual energy fueling Tokyo's nightlife with intense scenes and unforgettable experiences. Each character, even the secondary ones, radiate an endearing complexity, and the individuals' desires profoundly resonate against an emotionally ruthless urban landscape.

Call Boy also exhibits wonderful gastronomical imagery, capturing the essence of traditional Japanese cuisine. Food plays a substantial symbolic role in the narrative, often marking pivotal transitions and serving as a substance that fuels connections and invokes human passions; essentially, it's love garnished with food.

The theme of gender dynamics dominates the landscape of the movie, as we delve into a saga of transactional relationships where sex becomes just a medium to unearth individuals' deepest desires. The poignant delivery of this element makes Call Boy more than just an erotic narrative but also an unconventional probe into the psyches of Japanese society.

Call Boy showcases the art of subtlety and presents an empathetic lens into the lives of the characters. Its storytelling might leave audiences open-mouthed for its graphic details and bold themes, but after delving deeper into the narrative, the audience can develop a deeper understanding of its profound attempt to unfold love, lust, loneliness, and longing.

In conclusion, Call Boy is a provocative storytelling masterpiece that critically debates the modern-day dynamics of human relationships, subverting common perceptions around intimacy and emotion, all set against the backdrop monumental buildings and hushed corners of Tokyo's cityscape. Although its themes might seem challenging to assimilate due to cultural and personal differences, the film explores the universal human quest for closeness and encounters cloaked in intimacy, hence producing undeniably powerful and compelling cinema.