Stylish and ironic black & white film that gets the most from a minor detail.A murderer – an aged, experienced and hard-bitten yakuza – is looking for a room. With a young, attractive estate agent he treks from room to room through the big city. The two don’t exchange a word; the story is largely told pictorially and the dialogue is limited to the absolute minimum. The shots of thequest through the city are occasionally interrupted by flashbacks which show the activities of the murderer. The old man is really looking for complete peace, which a room can’t offer him either. His very specific wishes are also poetic and that has a comic effect juxtaposed with his hard and macho looks.Embroidering on this thin story, The Room gives a revealing picture of urban anarchy in Tokyo. The role of the old yakuza is acted phenomenally by Akaji Maro. Director Sion Sono has stated that he could never have made the film with any other actor; the role is ideal for him. Akaji Maro had earlier performed in the famous yakuza films by Suzuki Seijun.
