Film Review: Pompo the Cinéphile
Images courtesy of Kismet Films.
Directed by Takayuki Hirao, an accomplished Japanese animation director who's worked on projects such as God Eater, Satoshi Kon's Paranoia Agent, the original Death Note series, and even the middling film adaptation of Junji Ito's Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack, Pompo The Cinéphile is a love letter to the art of cinema wrapped up in the sickly-sweet packaging of a slice-of-life anime, and it's only 90 minutes!
The title itself feels like somewhat of a misnomer - Pompo isn't the main character but rather a comical sidekick, nor is she a cinéphile; she voices her disdain for film fans multiple times within the first half hour. Instead, we follow Gene, her baggy-eyed assistant who adores films like Cinema Paradiso, as he's tasked with making his directorial debut on a film written by Pompo. Through his eyes, we see the less appealing side of Hollywood: the celebration of films filled with "cute asses", studio mandated 90-minute runtimes, and the idea that "dreams don't make money". None of these ideas really feel like hurdles, though, as the film gets far too caught up in its own pacing to offer much in the way of dramatic tension or attempt to explore its themes beyond the surface level.
Where the film does truly shine, though, is in its gorgeous animation. It's no secret that everyone loves anime food, and while there's a whole scene dedicated to just that, the most exciting parts come from stylised sequences of Gene's editing process, as he slices through film reels with a giant sword. Likewise, a segment set in the Swiss Alps during filming of Meister showcases the infectious effect that artistic passion can have. Cast and crew bounce ideas off each other excitedly, and everyone's opinions are treated as equally valid; a far cry from the usual ego trips and grinding wheels of bureaucracy that most Hollywood sets are known for.
Complete with a Marlon Brando surrogate and nods to B-movie exploitation, it's clear that for the most part, Pompo The Cinéphile has its heart in the right place. Viewed purely as blissful escapism, it's a sugar-coated ode to the idea that with enough passion, anyone can make it. It's unfortunate, then, that our hero's journey goes so smoothly that it's difficult to really believe in this ethos.
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Pompo The Cinéphile is screening in select cinemas from Thursday, May 19th. For tickets and more info click here.