Final Rating: 3.5/5
Director Fran Rubel Kuzui (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) released her debut film, Tokyo Pop, in 1988. These films are the only two in her filmography; and Tokyo Pop would become a cult classic which recently received a restoration. Its restoration was funded through the Jane Fonda Fund for Women Directors, and with the support of Carol Burnett, Carrie Hamilton’s mother, the film’s lead.
Tokyo Pop narrates the story of Wendy (Carrie Hamilton), a wannabe leading woman sick of her boyfriend. Suddenly, she gets a postcard from a friend who is in Japan. She takes her boyfriend’s rent money and moves to Tokyo, where she finds out that her friend is now in Thailand, and she needs to survive somehow. Parallel to that, we meet Hiro (Diamond Yukai), a young man trying to break out with his rock band and perform covers of American rock & roll classics. They cross paths in a ramen shop when Hiro tries to flirt with her while she is in despair and far from her inn. Besides the catastrophic first encounter, they develop a relationship, and she joins his band.
Fran Rubel Kuzui constructs an American dream fable far from the United States. Wendy dreams of recognition through singing, but she wants to belong somewhere. While the film has a romantic and comic tone to convey their journey, it tackles ambition and peer pressure.
Hiro’s family wants him to consider a “real job” because “rock & roll is just a hobby”; it is a fascinating juxtaposition to Wendy’s. They both want to achieve success in their rockstar careers, but Hiro has a foundation to lean on, while Wendy is wandering in the world. At the surface level, the film is a romantic story of young people trying to make their dreams come true. Still, it is a fun and sweet story of dreamers.
Actor Carrie Hamilton delivers a terrific performance, furnishing multiple layers to a lost woman. Her Wendy wants to thrive in Japan but misses home. She wants to sing but does not want to cover people’s material. Wendy is a contradictory character who shines through the doubts of the youth. Young people are usually not aware of what they are doing with their lives.
Wendy decided to move to Japan impromptu without any infrastructure, but needs to fulfill her desires and curiosity. In her discovery, the audience finds out about Hiro’s sweetness. Diamond Yukai provides energetic performances and deep chemistry with Hamilton. The film’s core is really about Wendy and Hiro; the film is not as fascinating or engaging when other characters are involved.
In this sense, Tokyo Pop is utterly dependent on the gravitational force of Wendy and Hiro. All the subplots revolve around them, and not all work. A segment where she decides to leave because she is homesick is a premature building of a dramatic purpose to the conclusion. It ends on a low note, but the film’s back end gets a quick resolution that is too abrupt. Hence, the film loses its steam right at the final part. Mostly, their dreams fascinate the audience more than the payback. It still has the couple’s charms; the subplots do not compel the viewer as much as the first half.
Tokyo Pop is a sweet romance about chasing dreams and finding your place, even if it means moving to another part of the world. Carrie Hamilton delivers a captivating performance as a woman trying to understand her place in the world. The chemistry with Diamond Yukai is strong and engages the audience in that journey. In the end, Tokyo Pop impresses as one of the few films Hamilton did before passing away and as a strong debut for Fran Rubel Kuzui.
Thank you to Third Window Films for the screener.
