|
Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda Starring: Yűya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura Based on actual events, Nobody Knows is a good film that explores the relationships between four children abandoned by their mother with only a small amount of money to survive on. Over a period of several months the children have to rely on each other to survive. Yuya Yagira plays Akira, the leader of the household even though he is only 12 years old. Yagira plays his role well and with much maturity which really adds to the film. The mother (TV actress You, which leads to some interesting conclusions for English audiences at the end of the film) is all but a child and Akira is the grownup. The pacing of the plot was a bit slow at times but overall it moved along at a nice clip. My only complaint about the film was that it showed the children having too easy of a time at home at points. However, it is the warmth and happiness that the children exude even in the absence of parents that ultimately brings this film its charm. The children have such a good time that you are left with the feeling that they are probably better off emotionally without a parent. The natural lighting used by Koreeda was a nice touch and added more of a realistic as well as personal feel to the film. Also, his decision with the ending was a very powerful one and made the main point of the film clear: in the crowded modern city, no one knows nor cares what happens to anyone else. RATING: 4.5 PROS: Yagira's acting, interesting plot, character development CONS: Portrayal of home life at times too nice ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408664/
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2005 08:09
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 16:38 |
|
|
This is a great minimalist movie. The story is engaging, the acting is wonderful and the direction is the best I've seen in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if it was two-plus hours. 5/5.5
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2005 20:41
|
|
|
I am glad to see that at least one other person in this world has seen this film, albeit apparently not as conclusively as I myself found the experience. I say conclusively because this is perhaps the finest film I have ever had the pleasure to witness. No small claim, truly, I do not brandish such sentiments idly. The plot has been pretty well spelled out for you above so I will spend no time there, instead I will illustrate – and hopefully prompt your good selves – towards the elements of this film that truly broke my heart. The performances of the children are indeed great. I would even say that they are stunning. The eldest boy and to some extent the films focus, Yuya Yagira, gives a performance that not only justifies the Best Actor award at Cannes, but is truly one of the finest pieces of screen acting ever committed to celluloid. The key element to this film is in the feel of its presentation. It is a slow film, make no mistake. Every shot is held for at least 15 seconds longer then most other directors would believe necessary. Often, when the heart of a scene has moved on, often the viewer is left staring into the sky, upon unfocused flesh, or out into the cityscape. This is not a studio movie, in more clumsy hands and to more clumsy minds, the sentiments of this film could easily be communicated in 90 minuets. The cinematography is exquisite, I do not say that lightly. It is a beautiful film, with each individual shot being sculpted and cared for to form a mesmerising canvas of feeling and colour. In essence, I am trying to say that it is like watching the finest and most exposing documentary available. Only twice – to my mind – does the camera slip from an almost Dogmatic style of presentation. Once for roughly six seconds of slow motion, the other for a stark white filter. Both used to display omens or extreme emotions – neither poorly chosen. As you watch the children slide into poverty, it is not forced upon you. As the viewer you are merely watching their everyday lives, there are no hard cuts, no time elapsing fades. The film is so powerful because it allows the viewer to experience and share in every aspect of the children’s struggle to maintain a level of decency and hope in their lives; even after it is obvious that both are fading fast. I have watched this twice now, the first time with English subs, the second time I just let the film play. There is not a great deal of dialog. I truly believe you could watch a un-subtitled version of the film for the first time and still have a very good idea of the events. There is no huge drama, the sentiments of the film ripple delicately through it, allowing the audience to interpret these events through the expressions we are given, the tiniest look or curl of a lip. The film credits its audience with enough intelligence to interpret these things – the awesome performances of the children – never forcing an event or emotion through the camera with illustrative dialogue or useless conversations that serve to do nothing other then spell out what we, the audience, should be thinking and feeling at that moment. You are allowed simply to watch and take what you will. I found the final ten minuets almost un-watchable. The cinematography is too beautiful during a time in the film when you know that you must leave these children for good, faces that you have genuinely come to feel familiar to. Fond of. When you read an excellent book and you reach the end, do you know that feeling? The experience of saying goodbye to the characters? I have never experienced that with a film, not until I saw this. I cannot recommend this enough, truly I cannot. If I have layered so many compliments upon this that you fell it is imposable for any film to live up to the hype, then I truly do apologise. This is two and a half hours drifting through the simple lives of the most beautiful, tragic and hopeful children. It is not a film to show to your friends or to watch when you need something mindless to fill the end of your day. It’s a film to watch with someone you love, someone you don’t mind seeing you cry. I have only given this film 5 stars. 5.5 said ‘the greatest film you have ever seen’ which perhaps this is. But I need to keep the hope alive that there will be others. For now, there is this. 5/5.5
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2005 18:46
|
|
|
Excellent film, I really felt for the characters by the end of the film and wanted to see what they were going to do. 5/5.5
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2005 22:27
|
|