2LDK
The two less-than-talented actresses Nozomi and Lana are forced to live together in a two-room apartment rented by their agency, even though they can’t stand each other. When both qualify for the lead role in a yakuza feature film, a psychological death spiral erupts between the luxury bitch Lana and the provincial mouse Nozomi, starting with pointed remarks and escalating to a fight to the death in which everything from beer openers to samurai swords to a chainsaw is allowed.—neither of them wants to leave the apartment as the loser, and little by little, many secrets from the past come to light.
The two independent directors Ryuhei Kitamura and Yukihiko Tsutsumi had bet against each other to see who could make the best film about a death duel in a confined space. At last year’s Independent Film Festival in San Francisco, 2LDK won against its rival Aragami, which stars two samurai.
2LDK begins innocently but builds to a grandiose finale and manages almost entirely without musical accompaniment. Only a sad J-pop song at the end and a little piano and string accompaniment here and there attempt to capture the mood. What makes this Japanese surprise hit so special is its focus on the two very talented actresses, whose catfights are really entertaining.