The Beast-like Wife

In a rural town. A thug named Hideo is entrusted with his girlfriend Masami by his elder brother Kondo for the night. Although he was warned not to make a move on her, Masami seduces Hideo and he sleeps with her. The next morning, Kondo finds out and orders him to bring 100,000 yen by the next day as a settlement. At a loss, Hideo goes into a restaurant and puts a hair in a bowl to try to make a fight, but at that moment a middle-aged woman runs out and dries up. Taking advantage of the confusion, Hideo also leaves the restaurant, and the two of them successfully escape. When the woman, Takako, finds out that Hideo has no money, she offers him 1 million yen if he does what she says. Takako seduces Hideo by taking him to her villa. Afterwards, Takako tearfully tells him that after her father's death, her husband took over the company, and seems to be cheating as much as he wants and doing dishonest things. Hideo is framed for a fake kidnapping planned by Takako...

Directed by Osamu Satō, The Beast-like Wife leans on a strong ensemble — Maki Tomoda, Takashi Nanami, Rina Yuuki — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2008.