User reviews

Set in the Izu Peninsula of Shizuoka Prefecture, Kenji is a writer who is on holiday with his editor wife Aya at an exclusive resort. Struggling with writer's block, he seems dispirited with the little progress he has made on his third novel, and is growing ambivalent towards his marriage. By the pool one day, he spots a young woman together with a much older man, and becomes curious about their situation. After introducing himself to the man- an enigmatic character named Sahara- Kenji is drawn into a murky world of intrigue, obsessive perversions and possible violence.

Directed by Wayne Wang and based on a short story by Javier Marias, 'While the Women Are Sleeping' is a dark, slow-moving mystery that is engaging, though doesn't answer any of the questions it provokes. A psychological thriller exploring the nature of desire, voyeurism and mortality, the narrative is full of intrigue and the characters are complex. Sahara is a fascinating individual with an exceedingly strange obsession, and Kenji's investigation into his relationship with the younger woman- Miki- is initially gripping.

However, Wang doesn't allow the investigation to come to any sort of definitive conclusion, nor can the viewer be certain whether anything happening in the film is real or a figment of Kenji's imagination. Though some might find ambiguousness appealing, it serves to alienate and frustrate more than intrigue in this instance. Furthermore, when nothing at all is explained or concluded- a subplot about Aya's relationship with a supposedly older author, the fate of Miki or why the barman Iizuka seems to know everything about everyone- it seems as though Wang just couldn't have been bothered to tighten up his screenplay and satisfy his audience's natural desire for closure.

This is not to say that 'While the Women Are Sleeping' shouldn't be sought out, for the narrative is compelling, despite its lack of a satisfying denouement. Furthermore, Atsuhiro Nabeshima's modernist cinematography is striking, creating a stark contrast between the bright resort and the dark, shadowy interiors where Sahara and Miki reside. He also uses long shots to emphasize the isolated loneliness of the characters, as well as close-ups to capture their expressions and emotions. His camera often follows Kenji as he walks around the resort, creating a sense of movement and curiosity. The cinematography also reflects and reinforces the themes of voyeurism and desire, often showing Kenji watching Sahara and Miki from a distance, or Sahara indulging in his night-time hobby.

Additionally, Youki Yamamoto's soundtrack is atmospheric and enigmatic. A mix of classical, jazz and ambient music, it heightens the film's mood of elegance, mystery and tension. Moreover, the song that plays over the end credits, 'Fixer' by Akina Nakamori, is most appropriate thematically, as it concerns a woman trying to fix a broken relationship with a man who has a secret obsession.

'While the Women Are Sleeping' also boasts a fine cast, all of whom do commendable work. Hidetoshi Nishijima plays Kenji with a subdued curiosity that makes him an ideal conduit for the audience as he discovers dark secrets and hidden truths. Sayuri Oyamada is pitch-perfect as his wife Asa, who wants to help Kenji all she can, but knows they're both drifting apart. Shioli Kutsuna and Lily Franky also do brilliant work as Miki and the seedy barman Iizuka, though are arguably both underused. However, the film belongs to Takeshi Kitano, who- as Sahara- steals every scene he's in with a measured, menacing performance of intelligence and subtlety, ensuring your eyes are cast his way anytime he's on screen.

A dark, intriguing mystery that draws one in, though doesn't leave one satisfied, Wayne Wang's 'While the Women Are Sleeping' is a bit disappointing. While the cinematography and soundtrack are both striking and commendable, the ambiguousness of the narrative doesn't satiate one's desire for closure. Though the cast all perform admirably- especially Takeshi Kitano- they can't save 'While the Women Are Sleeping' from the realm of the underwhelming. Unfortunately, 'While the Women Are Sleeping', the audience might be too.

A bored writer on a resort holiday develops a particular curiosity about an older gentleman and his female companion. Compelled to investigate, the writer finds more questions than answers, and begins to get drawn into increasing uncertainty. As the plot thickens, the movie reflects the writer character's confusion, leaving just as much unanswered for the viewer. The movie has a somewhat film noir atmosphere and is artsy because it sketches things out but doesn't complete the picture, to a somewhat unsatisfying effect. I mainly watched this for Takeshi Kitano and although he delivered an appropriate performance, I think he was limited by his role. He plays a very subdued and subtle character and so you only see a narrow view of his acting range compared to his other movies. The tone of the film imposed similar limitations on the other characters, with occasional exceptions. It's not a bad movie but the pacing is a bit slow, the plot is scattered, and character development is limited to the point of being frustrating.

...the days are passing in a luxury seaside village and the story occurs mostly there with only couple of shots in the small town near. The movie promised and delivery until day 2 (every passing day is marked on the screen)or so then it goes downhill; plagued with clichés of the genre and confusing edit and shots. So the suspense gets down and all that mixed stuff start...this is not Hitchcock.

-I really like Beat Kitano and always with his style not defraud here. Nishijima works his roll very good; but I see this actor in other movies and works his acting the same way... The story is based in a short one by an Spanish writer. The camera work is good and the color palette is OK but somehow too digital for my taste. Somehow is a good entertainment but nothing more. Is an OK movie hence the 5 stars

This film surprised me in many ways, right up to the final scene.

Instead of us being led through the process of discovery of how each of the characters perceived each other in this movie in a series of expositions in which the viewer is let into knowledge that onscreen characters are not aware of it, the reverse happens throughout the movie. - onscreen characters continually are more perceptive and empathetic of the other characters in the film without that being spelled out to the viewer, making for a more subtle, immersive, voyeuristic and potentially confusing viewing experience.

Early in the movie we watch a typical high end resort pool-side scene where two couples relaxing on opposite sides of the pool size each other up. On one side is an age matched professional young, but no longer so young to be childless married couple, a writer famous for a small number of books, who was having trouble writing, and was holidaying before taking a salaried job, and his editor wife, who came from money, and who obviously married him when he was producing famous works, On the other side is an an over seventy man with an attractive bikini clad young woman just over 18 acting very familiar and comfortable with each other.

The wife notices the husband noticing, and instead of reacting in a cliched way, offers her straw hat to her husband so that he can spy on the other couple without being noticed.

What follows I think is actually the two men engaging in a sort of virtual battle of lions for breeding access to the females, with everything between both couples up in the air at various points in the film as the interplay between the four people play out about who will end up with whom, as we find in greater and more disturbing detail that both couples seem to have reached something of a crossroads in each of their relationships.

Given the fact all the reviews seemed unsatisfied with this film, I guess my take on it might be quite wrong, because I think I understand the movie, I might simply be mistaken, as I agree that it was not completely clear at all times whether what we were seeing was fantasy created by the writer that was on holiday,

But as the film climaxed, it became pretty clear to me by the end that the violence shown in the film was almost certainly the writer's over-active imagination at work, created by his voyeuristic witnessing of the older man shaving the back of the younger woman's head.as she lay on the hotel bed, combined with clever manipulation of the younger man by the older man.

Hopefully this is not a "spoiler"in the traditional sense, as all the other reviews refer to the violence also, and the other reviewers interpreted this movie differently than I have.

I really think this is one of the best films I've seen: the photography was beautiful, and underlined the drama, isolation and intimacy of all the people involved.

The music was good, but not intrusive, the actors were great, and I got a good a clear sense of the great intensity of the emotions being felt by the protagonists, and sometimes their visualized fears, of all four as their holiday progressed.

While the main focus was on the emotions of the men, the women were equally present as strong characters, despite the title, and each actively made choices throughout that affected the outcome just a much as what the men chose to do.