Hirokazu Kore-eda’s seventh feature is a more sociological and psychological (not to mention fantastical) spin on recent hit “Lars and the Real Girl,” centering on the titular sex toy who, in her words, “found a heart.” What may at first appear to be a slightly bizarre dramedy becomes much more as Koreeda explores his themes. Both whimsical and bleak, “Air Doll” explores the emptiness and disconnect that more and more frequently seem to define our lives in an increasingly globalized and technologically-driven world.
Nozomi (played by Du-Na Bae), the titular near-human, acts as the heart of the film. She is the thread that connects the despairing lives of a handful of peripheral characters, exploring the heartaches, hang-ups and helplessness that too often lead us toward an isolated existence. However, Kore-eda’s film is also hopeful, a feat accomplished by infusing its considerable emotional heft with a buoyant and fanciful sense of humor that culminates in a mostly enchanting tone. The film’s best moments come when Nozomi is reunited with her birth father of sorts, a wonderful couple of scenes that run the gamut of emotional extremes with minimal dialogue and screen time.
Although the film’s penchant towards the overly cutesy is sometimes a tonal hindrance, as is its long-windedness at various points in Nozomi’s development, Koreeda’s wonderful, breezy direction as well as his creative insight and a fantastic lead performance by Bae turn “Air Doll” into a strangely compelling charmer; a film built upon despondent themes that still manages to elate even the most sensitive souls out there. [B+] – Luke Gorham