Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2010

The second film about Japan’s AV industry to appear in less than a month (the other being Namae no nai Onnatachi), Nude is a surprisingly well executed work. Based on the eponymous autobiography by porn actress “Mihori,” the film may or may not be entirely factual, but it certainly captures the exhilaration and heartbreak of life as a porn actress. Hiromi (Naoko Watanabe) is a super cute high school grad from Niigata who leaves behind her best friend Sayaka (Aimi Satsukawa) and goes to Tokyo with dreams of becoming a star. She’s scouted and offered a nude modeling job by the forthright Enomoto (Ken Mitsuishi). Hiromi’s boyfriend (Takashi Nakayama) is upset by the pics but hangs in the relationship and even proposes marriage. Though Hiromi is staunchly opposed to doing AV, Enomoto leads her down that path, and the emotional flashpoint of the film is the debasement, humiliation and bravery inherent in her career choice. Aware that she will likely be abandoned by her friend and fiancée, she decides to become Mihori and leave Hiromi behind, and this evocative film leaves open the question of whether it was worth it. An unexpected tour-de-force, Nude is one of the best contemporary movies about becoming a porno actress. (106 min)