‘Love On Trial’ review: Koji Fukada’s drama reveals the dark side of the J-pop phenomenon

Dir: Koji Fukada. Japan. 2025. 124mins

When it’s found {that a} younger Japanese singer has a boyfriend, thus breaking the ‘no love’ clause in her contract, she winds up dealing with a lawsuit on this not-terribly-urgent dissection of id, on-line validation, idol tradition and misogyny in Japan’s huge J-pop business. The most recent by Koji Fukada bears the hallmarks of the director’s deliberate pacing and quiet remark, but in addition his penchant for meandering focus and a stage of reservation that flirts with somnolent. Although there are a substantial amount of points to discover, Fukada and co-writer Shintaro Mitani refuse to choose a tone or matter to finesse, rendering Love On Trial scattered and unable to totally decide to its concepts.

Finally properly which means if not wholly partaking

Fukada broke out in 2016 along with his Cannes Un Sure Regard Jury Prize winner Harmonium, and his most up-to-date work was 2022 Venice competitors title Love Life. Alongside the way in which he has refined his signature and Love On Trial, which bows in Cannes Premieres, could be very a lot of a bit with these earlier movies, tonally and aesthetically. Festivals and distributors that discovered receptive markets previously ought to glean related outcomes with this, and audiences outdoors Asia unfamiliar with the ins-and-outs of J-pop is perhaps curious sufficient to earn the movie a small arthouse theatrical life.

The comparatively current emergence of Ok-pop as a cultural juggernaut has retrained consideration on Japan’s  J-pop machine, each of which have darkish sides which might be beginning to garner detrimental consideration. Each are lorded over by highly effective expertise companies that demand so-called ‘idols’ reveal unimpeachable ethical character: no alcohol, no medication, no intercourse. Since 2010, idols have been ordered to pay damages or public penance for having non-public lives.

This mandated morality is on the root of Love On Trial. In an business depending on the fantasy of availability for ladies marketed to males (otaku) as intercourse symbols, ‘no relationships’ clauses are widespread – and essential to income. (Solely Japanese girls are topic to such clauses.) The movie begins with an introduction to fictional idol quintet Happyfanfare, whose unofficial frontwoman is the bold Nanaka (Yuna Nakamura). The band’s followers activate Nanaka once they discover out she may need a boyfriend; one thing that threatens the company’s backside line. “We’re right here to guard and nurture you,” administration tells her. “However in case you do egocentric stuff like this we will’t allow you to.”

Mai (J-pop star Kyoko Saito) takes over as chief, however throws Happyfanfare into chaos once more when she too dares to start out relationship a road mime, Kei (Yuki Kura, FX’s Shogun). Whereas Nanaka toes the road, Mai opts for a fulfilled private life, which brings a breach of contract lawsuit down on her and Kei.

Love On Trial doesn’t actually debate whether or not or not Mai is in breach; it tries to debate whether or not she ought to be there to start with. That takes some time, although, as, for half its working time, the movie toggles in a relaxed method between stardom drama, relationship drama (a lot of house is given over to Mai and Kei’s budding romance) and stalker thriller (an tried stabbing suggests the unhinged nature of idol followers).

For all of the vitality Fukada places into hinting at them, the motivations of the women are sketches at greatest. Nanaka appears dedicated to idol life, nevertheless it’s unclear if she legitimately needs the adoration or if she drank the proverbial Kool-Support fed to her by administration. One other member, Risa, hints at having actual expertise however whether or not she could also be utilizing Happyfanfare as her personal stepping stone is rarely addressed. That Mai doesn’t discover her feminist voice till 10 minutes earlier than the tip appears like a missed alternative to essentially drill down into Japan’s social, authorized and constitutional gender dynamics.

Nonetheless Fukada and cinematographer Hidetoshi Shinomiya (Drive My Automobile) discover some sleek methods to visualise the double requirements underpinning this business and the impression on the women working in it. Mai and Kei questioning if they need to break up from reverse sides of the road is a succinct composition, as is a terrifying on-stage shot from Happyfanfare’s perspective of viewers purely made up of grown males.

Saito brings an inherent veracity to her efficiency as Mai, however Fukada solely goes half solution to illuminating the baffling phenomenon and what perpetuates it. Love On Trial is in the end properly which means if not wholly partaking.