Shintoho brought cult director Hisayasu Sato back after four years for this well-done look at two families with serious problems. Former Nikkatsu starlet Moeko Ezawa from 1972's memorable Nureta Kuchibiru plays the mother of a crazy family attempting to come to an understanding, while the other family comes to an unfortunate end when their alienated daughter kills them with a chainsaw. For the first time, Sato was able to explore his pet themes (alienation and the psychology of violence) in a semi-mainstream film rather than being restrained as he was in two mediocre 1996 productions. The result is highly watchable and tinged with jet-black humor. Hiromi Kuronuma stars with Tomomi Kuribayashi, Junko Mabuki (another former pinku-eiga starlet who co-starred with Ezawa in 1978's Junko Wananaku), and Yuka Sakurai. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
