Search - Perfect Blue on DVD

Psychologically Brilliant

Ana Mardoll | United States | 09/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Perfect Blue / B00000JL42



*Spoilers*



When young idol Mima leaves her pop girl-band group in the hopes of breaking big into an acting career, she becomes entranced with a new website ("Mima's Room") that purports to be written entirely by her and which details her thoughts, dreams, and desires to the public. Although Mima knows that the website must be run by an imposter (after all, if the 'real' Mima was the website author, then she would know that...wouldn't she?), she becomes increasingly confused and concerned when the most private details of her life are posted for all to see - private details that most people would have no knowledge of.



And as Mima struggles with her acting career and is forced to make difficult choices in 'how far' she is willing to go to further her career (including a difficult 'adult' acting scene), she becomes increasingly disassociated from reality and cannot seem to tear herself away from "Mima's Room", where the perfect 'Mima' there seems so much larger than life than the 'real' Mima. And what of her various colleagues who keep meeting with serious injuries, accidents, and outright murder? Are the scenes - increasingly violent - that Mima is acting on stage just acting...or is it reality, edited into a TV show in order for her to cope?



This particular director, also involved (I believe) with Millennium Actress and Paprika, is a master at blending reality with fantasy (dreams and/or movies) in such a way that you can never be quite sure which is the fantasy and which is the reality. This thriller movie will mess with the viewer's mind, as we wonder what the nature of Mima's life truly is, and whether she is an innocent victim or a crazed psychopath. I was pleased that the resolute ending is clear and unambiguous, but with a touch of irony that I deeply appreciated. I won't say anymore, for fear of spoiling the surprise, but can only say that if you enjoy having your mind messed with, you will enjoy "Perfect Blue".



Content warning, though: This movie depicts a lot of female nudity (and not just the common "above-the-waist" variety) and also depicts Mima acting out a graphic rape scene for her TV series - a scene that could be considered highly triggering for some."