Japan’s top model Lilico (Erika Sawajiri) faces a crises of confidence in this exploration of society’s obsession with beauty. Lilico is riding high, her face adorning the covers of every fashion magazine, a mainstay of commercials, and even starring in a new movie. However, prosecutor Asada (Nao Omori) is looking in to a clinic that has been linked with trafficking body parts, uncovering the suggestion that Lilico’s appearance may be due to full-body plastic surgery. When new model Kozue (Kiko Mizuhara) begins taking the limelight from Lilico, she is forced to confront her own impending obsolescene in the modelling world, resorting to drastic measures to maintain her status. Meanwhile, her long-suffering assistant Michiko (Shinobu Terajima) attempts to help her in whatever way she can, despite being underappreciated and disrespected at every turn.
Based on the manga by Kyoko Okazaki, “Helter Skelter” is a vibrant, colourful, energetic film that brings the dazzle of the fashion industry to life, wtih exquisite costuming and make-up recreating glamour model shoots and leaving us in no doubt as to the dominance of Lilico. Mika Ninagawa’s (a fashion photographer) stylish direction helps create Lilico’s believably glamourous surroundings. The hand-held camerawork doubles effectively as both sensuous and unsettling as Lilico begins to spiral from a woman relaxed in her surroundings to someone flailing impotently in the face of a hostile world she has helped to create. Erika Sawajiri does a great job as the narcisistic, bullying, manipulative and supremely unlikeable protagonist. While her behaviour is completely unforgivable, Sawajiri captures the sense of a broken child beneath the surface, lashing out in fear that her secrets will be discovered. Shinobu Terajima provides the perfect foil as the humble, hard-working and sympathetic Michiko.
“Helter Skelter” explores women’s obsession with beauty and societal pressures to conform. We soon find that Lilico’s glamourous exterior masks a deeply damaged individual whose beauty is far from natural. This fabricated, unreal world that the characters inhabit is demonstrated by the set-like rooms of Lilico’s apartment in contrast to the real Tokyo streets where we see schoolgirls gossiping about their heroine. The film is a parable to not idolise people whose fame is largely based on a manufactured image. Lilico’s obsession with clocks and mirrors symbolises the fears of aging and fixation with appearance that have only grown with the ubiquity of mass media marketing. “Helter Skelter” is an entertaining watch, with stunning visuals and an admonition to look beyond the surface to those things that are truly important.
