I really liked the anime adaptation of Flowers of Evil and was kinda holding out for a sequel but this ain't gonna happen anymore. To my big surprise however it seems as this movie version actually adapts the whole story in less runtime? That obviously comes with certain drawbacks, including less ominous atmosphere but despite "normal" movies not necessarily being Noboru Iguchi's wheelhouse he alongside Mari Okada sort of made it work? I say sort of because I was willing to give this a lot of slack and wanted to see the story progress - which it did - it's just that it sometimes has a clumsy feel including some comicy overacting.
Personally I just love the unpredictable dynamic of the trio and how the story touches on their struggles but I'd still be hesitant to say this is the best way to experience the material. I guess I just wanted to say it is OK :wink:...