★ 7 / 10
This film is a bit uneven. At times
William D
This film is a bit uneven. At times it's fascinating and at other times I just wanted them to get on with it. I decided to recommend it based on lead actress…
This film is a bit uneven. At times it's fascinating and at other times I just wanted them to get on with it. I decided to recommend it based on lead actress Cocco's performance. She's got a great voice too.
Read full review
★ 3 / 10
I watched Shinya Tsukamoto's early film Tetsuo: The
Wayne K
I watched Shinya Tsukamoto's early film Tetsuo: The Iron Man a few months ago as research for a podcast episode. It's a very strange film, decidedly singular…
I watched Shinya Tsukamoto's early film Tetsuo: The Iron Man a few months ago as research for a podcast episode. It's a very strange film, decidedly singular, but its enjoyable in its own way. I watched Kotoko last night and, despite the significantly better cinematography, I didn't enjoy it at all. The premise is intriguing, about a single mother, commendably played by Yuko Nakamura, who's experiencing hallucinations and is deemed unfit to care for her child, though making common sense mistakes such as cradling her child while she holds a hot pan seem to be her biggest flaws. Despite only being an hour and a half, it's made to feel much longer due to something I seem to come across more and more in films as of late: characters singing entire songs, usually to themselves. I get that we're supposed to see how anguished the character is, but some of them just drag on and on and on, to the point where you couldn't care less what their feeling, you just want the scene to be over. A massive narrative problem the film has is establishing the leads hallucinations and detachment from reality early on. Rather than being a big reveal later on, it renders much of what happens in the story inconsequential, since you're constantly aware that what's taking place on screen likely isn't happening at all, undercutting almost all emotion. The only part that I found actually moving was the part where she says goodbye to her son with a smile on her face, a smile which quickly fades as she walks away. It makes me realises that the story would have been much more effective if played straight, and not full of artsy camera tricks. There's a romantic subplot thrown in that seems to exist only to give its writer and director an onscreen credit, and to waste more time of course. I know it has it's fans, including the friend who recommended it to me, but overall it felt way too flashy, too pretentious and too emotionally insubstantial to make me feel anything other than frustration and boredom.
Read full review
★ 10 / 10
I think that japanese cinema has the ability
R T
I think that japanese cinema has the ability to dig deep into emotions in a very special way. Sometimes we don't even need words, the eyes of the actors speak…
I think that japanese cinema has the ability to dig deep into emotions in a very special way. Sometimes we don't even need words, the eyes of the actors speak by themselves.
Great movie, great Cocco. I loved it!!
Read full review
60%
AUDIENCE
· 50 ratings
6.8/10
2.8K
•••
don´t let die