You are here:

Call Boy

Name: Call Boy
Director: Daisuke Miura
Released: 2018
Duration: 119 min

Representation Score

7.8/10

Good

2018

Director

Daisuke Miura

Runtime

119 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Call Boy successfully dismantles traditional social hierarchies by focusing on the host bar industry. It uses a specific socioeconomic subculture to critique how capitalism commodifies intimacy and human connections. The film excels in challenging traditional gender roles and non-traditional sexual norms. By centering male-to-male intimacy and emotional service, it disrupts conventional expectations of masculinity and romantic progression. However, the film remains demographically narrow. Its focus on a localized Tokyo setting limits racial diversity and offers fewer narratives for neurodivergent or disabled characters.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Call Boy have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film focuses on non-traditional sexual relationships and male-to-male intimacy. These elements are woven into the main character's growth rather than being sidelined or scandalous.

How does Call Boy portray gender?

Good

Ryo breaks away from typical masculine roles by finding fulfillment through emotional support and catering to others' desires. This challenges the stereotype of a stoic, provider-focused male identity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Call Boy?

Limited

The story centers on a localized view of Tokyo with a predominantly Japanese cast. It lacks significant racial or ethnic diversity.

How does Call Boy represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative criticizes the commercialization of human connections within a capitalist system. It presents the protagonist’s lifestyle through moral relativism rather than traditional religious guidance.

Does Call Boy include disability representation?

Fair

The film examines psychological conditions such as emotional numbness and urban isolation. However, these are portrayed as existential experiences rather than specific disability stories.

Present on Screen

Subverts traditional gender roles through the protagonist's emotional labor.
Centers non-traditional sexual relationships without scandalizing them.
Critiques modern social structures and urban loneliness.

Limited or Absent

Lacks racial and ethnic diversity in its cast.
Offers limited representation for neurodivergent or disabled characters.

Official Synopsis

Ryo Morinaka is a university student and works part-time at a bar. He is bored with his daily life and exists in a state of torpor. One day, his friend Shinya Tajima brings the owner of a host bar over to the place where Ryo Morinaka works. Shizuka Mido is the owner of the host bar. Soon, Ryo Morinaka begins to work for Shizuka Mido at the members only host bar. He feels embarrassment initially, but he fulfills the desires of women and develops a sense of purpose.

How are these scores produced? →