adv.

adj.

n.  Turmoil; confusion.

 

My friend made this movie known to me by describing it as the Japanese version of 'Black Swan' and after watching it, I would recommend it to whoever loved 'Black Swan'.

 

'Helter Skelter' tells of Lilico (played by Sawajiri Erika) who is a model and actress who has undergone extensive plastic surgery to reach her current state of beauty.  The movie shows how her mental and physical body breaks down, the latter due to the illegal procedures that the plastic surgery clinic used.  Lilico may be gorgeous on the outside but she's not happy and the pursuit of physical beauty leaves her empty, jealous, unhappy and she uses sex to feel something - be it the semblance of love or just to wield power over those whom she considers close to her.  As the title suggests, things start to go awry and she goes helter skelter.

The acting from Sawajiri is solid and those who remember her from '1 Litre of Tears' may be shocked at how she has shed that innocence and she's a total bitch-vamp in this movie.  After reading on her controversial real life, this role may actually be more her than one thinks.  She's breaking the mould, pushing the boundaries of Japanese media and really making people question whether what we see on screen and in magazines is the real person.  Also, it makes you question why there is this constant pursuit of an ideal beauty and like the voice of reason in the movie, in the form of the police officer, beauty may not be necessarily youth and vice versa.

Go watch it and stay with it.  You may not get it at first but it will draw you in.