« In Cold Blood | Main | Aliens of the Deep »
February 20, 2005
Nobody Knows
Nobody Knows (2004), Hirokazu Koreeda:
Another movie that takes its perspective as a passive observer. It's a little harder for it to be neutral about its four abandoned kids left to fend for themselves, so there are a couple of good emotional punches thrown. Mostly, though, Mr. Koreeda has a great sense of restraint, creating a piece that's sublimely tragic, where it could so easily devolve into emotional porn.
The structureless narrative is key. I found it almost impossible to read and was helpless to predict how it would end. It does end, of course, and for such a long movie, you have to be a little patient. Yûya Yagira carries the movie along with the near perfect cast. Kids in movies are always difficult, but I'm not sure if it's because they're just kids playing kids, but they do everything they're supposed to do. The movie is so fragile that a couple off notes would be enough to break its hold.
13/15
Posted by bing at February 20, 2005 10:47 AM