[Film Review] Stay Pretty, No Pity (2021)

As Asian cinema continues to dominate western screens, with the success of Korean titles such as Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (2019) and more recently Hwang Dong-hyuk’s Squid Game (2021), Japan-based international production company Tokyo Bay Films takes a crack at it with their newest supernatural horror short, Stay Pretty, No Pity (2021).

We follow Lucy (Maria Ozawa) during a turbulent point in her life; she has fled an abusive relationship and is now experiencing sudden visits from a ghost, ominously warning her that she has “3 days”. Largely inspired by the ancient Japanese folklore tale Yotsuya Kaidan, Lucy’s haunting premonitions are usually presented when she looks at her reflection. To add to its menacing nature, the spirit shows Lucy a series of disturbing images (à la Ring [1998]), with no explanation - yet another piece in the puzzle she has to swiftly put together before time runs out. 

Stay Pretty, No Pity’s intended message is the strongest asset that keeps the 11-minute short afloat; the trials and tribulations of a domestic abuse victim after leaving said situation are reverberated here, and we can sense the lingering feelings of uncertainty and even guilt on Lucy’s part. The aftermath of emotional manipulation is also shown, as Lucy’s quivering voice tells the ghost that she doesn't feel pretty, almost matter-of-factly. In another scene, she attempts to flag down her recent visitor to her roommate but is ultimately silenced. These clues of her past experiences are not only noticed but appreciated.

That being said, the occasional muddled execution sours the viewing pleasure. Wooden performances and flat line delivery take centre stage in a way where I can only imagine writer-director Wilco C. Rullens’ vision being lost in translation behind the scenes. Lucy’s grainy black and white imagery aggressively shown to her previously comes back into play towards the second half, as she enlists the help of her friend, who also had an encounter with the ghost (zero background on that, by the way) to find out the true meaning behind it all. Despite being told 3 days, Lucy sits back and waits until the fateful day to start her research and, very quickly and conveniently, stumbles upon articles of tragic deaths throughout the years only to see identical images of what the ghost had manifested. All this work adds up to, well, not much, and we are left pondering the evil spirit’s intention just as much as Lucy.

The cinematography by Takehiko Tamiya is serviceable and sometimes downright eerie (a subtle shot of the spirit hidden in the shadows around the halfway mark being a particular highlight), however, abrupt scene transitions with no change in lighting or environmental space make it, among other factors, a perplexing watch.

As stated by the filmmakers, Stay Pretty, No Pity is just a taste of what is to come; a full-length feature is in the works, slated for release in 2023. And that is exactly what this film needs: more time to better flesh out the ideas, as there are, perhaps, too many to be fully and clearly realized in such a short runtime. The potential is there, and I hope to see a well-rounded, polished and focused ghost story flourishing on international screens.

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