Tsumetai nettaigyo

Poor mild mannered Shamoto is trapped in his little aquarium business with his hot, but frustrated wife and his teen-aged daughter who loathes her step mother and has nothing but contempt for her father. Into their life roars Murata, a fast talking, vaguely sleazy, but oddly friendly rival, who owns a much slicker, larger aquarium business. And maybe he has a little bit of other things going on in the side, in more ways than one. Shamoto is going to get the ride of his life, and he isn't going to enjoy it.

This film is impossible to fit into any neat category. Its part horror, part black comedy (its extremely funny at times), part serial killer movie, with a huge dollop of allegory about business and Japanese society. And its also a hoot - brilliant acting and direction keeps you hooked as the film gets gorier and gorier. The entire cast is compelling as a group of seemingly ordinary people who are teetering on either side of major personality disorders. And its not always clear who the real psychopaths are. Only the fish seem normal.

This certainly isn't a film for everyone. But if you enjoy a black comedy and have a strong stomach for some very realistic looking gore, then this will certainly keep you distracted for its 140 minutes or so.