Air Doll (2009)

Name: Air Doll (2009)
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Released: February 4, 2022
Duration: 125 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Arata, Du-na Bae, Itsuji Itao, Jô Odagiri, Mari Hayashida

2022

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Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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Air Doll

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Movie Details & Credits

Asmik Ace Entertainment | Release Date: February 4, 2022 | Unrated

Starring: Arata, Du-na Bae, Itsuji Itao, Jô Odagiri, Mari Hayashida, Mari Hoshino, Ryô Iwamatsu, Sei Andô, Sumiko Fuji, Tasuku Emoto

Summary: A life-size blow-up doll develops a soul and falls in love with a video store clerk.

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda

Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 125 min

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Critic Reviews

The Film Stage Mitchell Beaupre

Kore-eda’s preoccupations with death are on firm display here yet again, and over time Nozomi sees that even if there is a painful impermanence when it comes to living, we all leave something of us behind after we go. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Air Doll is beautifully shot and performed. Read full review

Wesley Morris

For 75 minutes or so, Air Doll is the lightest of Kore-eda’s movies, which include the superb “Nobody Knows’’ (2004) and “Still Life’’ (2008). Gradually, though, the tender music-box score — by one-man Japanese band world’s end girlfriend — is tinged with foreboding. Read full review

Andrea Gronvall

The incandescent Doona Bae (The Host, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance) gives a daring performance as the toy-turned-woman, Read full review

Mark Jenkins

Overly long and occasionally clumsy, Air Doll can't be counted among Kore-eda's best. But much of it is lovely and expressive, and it's one of those films that can haunt viewers long after they've left the theater. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

The film is a little too cute and scattershot to achieve real profundity, with the doll-woman too often coming across like a playfully erotic version of Being There’s Chance the Gardener, defined entirely by her absence of guile. Read full review

Derek Elley

Japanese helmer Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ongoing interest in love, loss and souls in limbo is stretched way too thin in Air Doll, a beautifully lensed (by Taiwanese ace Mark Lee) and charmingly played (by South Korean icon Bae Du-na) modern fairy tale about an inflatable doll who takes on a life of her own. Recut to a trim 90 minutes, this fragile yarn would work perfectly and have a chance of an afterlife as a specialty item. In its present form, pic may not get much farther than the fest netherworld. Read full review

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User Reviews

JLuis_001

Jul 18, 2021

Even Hirokazu Kore-eda himself can fail, but that's an important lesson due to the erroneous expectations I created for myself.

Even so, Air Doll seemed like a very superficial exploration of loneliness in big cities. Yet, it's worth highlighting the acting work of Doona Bae who leads andEven Hirokazu Kore-eda himself can fail, but that's an important lesson due to the erroneous expectations I created for myself.

Even so, Air Doll seemed like a very superficial exploration of loneliness in big cities.

Yet, it's worth highlighting the acting work of Doona Bae who leads and supports the film completely even with its weaknesses and shortcomings.

It felt like a preamble to what Spike Jonze's Her would manage to expose wonderfully four years later.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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