Moans from next Door

Sachiko is a bored housewife in a typical apartment compound in Tokyo suburbia. She met her husband Goro at dance-school and they had planned a career as tournament dancers, but were forced to retire when Goro developed back problems. His pain also affects their marital life, leaving Sachiko sexually and emotionally frustrated. To relax she begins to sneak into a vacant apartment upstairs where one day she meets Katsuo, who live in the apartment next door. When he and his wife Mitsuko married, they agreed on an open marriage so she brings her lovers to their home even though Katsuo still loves her. He has lost his job but pretends to go to work each day, spending his time in the park or playing pachinko. A friendship begins and they even go dancing together. When Goro discovers that his wife is seeing another men, his jealousy only brings Sachiko and Katsuo even closer together. They decide to escape, but find that running away from problems doesn't solve them. MOANS FROM NEXT DOOR continues Sato Toshiki's "Apartment Houswife"-series, based on a script by Imaoka Shinji. In contrast to the scripts by regular collaborator Kobayashi Masahiro, the tone of Imaoka's script is altogether more serious, though this film, too, has a touch of humour. Like most other films of Sato, MOANS FROM NEXT DOOR explores the daily lives of average people. Even though both couples are not happy with their lives they continue a daily routine. When they finally find the strength to break away from their everyday lives, they find themselves incapable of starting a new life on their own. Pink director Tajiri Yuji makes a convincing debut as an actor and the film won the best film prize at the pink eiga awards 2001 of the magazine PG.