The World of Kanako

I think I would've liked reading the source material for this movie. Seems like a good read. The actual movie on the other hand, it was a bit of a hit and a miss for me. I liked the colors, the great acting, and the fact that Kanako's dark secret wasn't something I saw coming. However, I felt like it started out great and then kind of dragged on a little bit on the second half just to end as a totally confused mess. Too many characters and too many sub-plots all of a sudden. I think with a little bit of editing and focusing more on some of the characters (like the bullied boys who were in love with Kanako, or the thug girl) the movie would've been a bit more interesting. If you want to watch something violent and gory, with a decent story and a dark twist I would recommend it. It's pretty unique. I wouldn't buy it, but it was entertaining, a decent watch.

Amazing editing. SO many storylines working together to make the scene. The movie keeps getting intense.

A jaded Japanese detective reevaluates his faded memories of his estranged teenage daughter when asked by his ex-wife to investigate her disappearance in this one-of-a-kind crime drama directed by Tetsuya Nakashima. The film is assembled with a very vibrant visual style that varies from rapid fire edits to bouts of animation to slow paced, leisurely shots that bask in the beauty of Christmas lights. The film also begins in a curious anti-narrative manner as the protagonist's memories are mixed with clips of his daughter partying and the police quizzing him. Narrative point-of-view is also broken for several flashbacks told from his daughter's boyfriend's perspective. Given the plot and stylistic touches, the film is perhaps best described as 'Kill Bill' meets 'The Third Man' and it gets points for originality alone. The dialogue is full of philosophical quips too about how some of us are not "cut out to be a human being" and how easy it is "to fall into a hole so deep" that you keep falling. Yet, for all its daringness and intelligence, the film does not entirely work. The actual solution to the girl's disappearance is mundane and the value of all the red herrings is debatable, especially the question mark placed over the true nature of his relationship to his daughter, but it does cause one to think. The ultimate messages at hand are relatively simple (not everyone is who you think they are; some vices in life are dangerous), however, the emotional roller-coaster is a hard experience to shake. This is an effective film in that it gets you in the protagonist's mind and forces you to question how you would react. The Harry Lime dynamic also works well with a protagonist as naïve as Holly Martins. This is not however the easiest film under the sun to endure.

It is very violent. More than that, it is disturbing, depressing and desperate. We follows our protagonist, former detective and divorcée Akikazu Fujishima (Koji Yakusho) as he searches for his missing daughter Kanako (Nana Komatsu) and learns about her secret life. Through this search, different dark sides of the society emerges which make you antsy in your seat.

The more we go along, the more disturbing and depressing the movie seems to portray. None of the characters are lovable. All the institutions: family, police, and schools are malfunctioning. The movie depicts a sick society which appears to be OK but is buried with lots of problems where people are betraying each other and families are and non-communicative and destructive.

All characters are pathetic in different ways though they may not be innately devilish. Somehow something goes wrong and everything falls into this big chaos or trap where people do not know how to show their care or use the wrong way to show their love which end up causing more damage as they resort to violence and betrayal.

A very sad movie that paints a tragic side of Japanese culture, or can it happen in any culture, regardless of economic development? People yearning for love, care, respect and recognition and identification, but what they meet is betrayal, ignorance, bullying, and violence. Very twisted characters and relationships that make you feel so disappointed and horrified with humanity.

On the surface, or in the beginning, you see angels who seem to be your revelation. Kanako appears to be such an angel. But not until his cop father starts to look into her disappearance does he realize how much he understands/misunderstands his daughter, ditto his wife and vice versa. Similar misperception happens at school and in the police station.

Perhaps it just serves as a warning sign to us all: in many ways the people around us could just be like that if we hit the wrong button. Look at all the random shootings in the US. And the terrorist attacks. We would not know when they will turn against us and we just have to constantly remind ourselves to be alert.

Very good acting of the cast in creating a haunting atmosphere. I would not like to befriend with any of the characters.

I have no idea what to say. It's impossible not to go "What The Hell" like, a 100 times until the end of the movie. I can't even describe it.

===1. STORY - 6/10===

The story's pretty much about a father searching for his lost daughter, who has been missing for about a week. Every step closer to finding his daughter, sheds a new light on his daughter's true colours. Quite an adventure. It gave me new ideas and tips on to how to create a real thrilling story.

The downside is, watching this movie made me walk over to a corner, get down into a fetus position, and rock back and forth. It was REALLY violent, REALLY disturbing, ABSOLUTELY depressing and OVER THE TOP disgusting.

The upside is, however, was it wasn't one of those films with random killing and stuff. The movie actually had a story. Everything'll be explained throughout the movie until the credits. All they did was add a little more bonkers into every action they did.

===2. ACTING - 9/10===

The acting however, was absolutely fantastic. Akikazu, Kanako, and everyone else. They all did an amazing job. The movie's true aim was to show that you can't trust anybody but yourself. In the movie, you think that the character seems nice, but next thing you know, they just go ridiculously crazy.

===3. CINEMATOGRAPHY - 9/10===

The cinematography and imagery were REALLY good. It really gave the vibe of a dark,cold and sad world.

===4. SOUNDTRACK - 8.5/10===

The music's really good too. Playing some classic Dean Martin hits while a murder is taking place. It really gave me the feeling of uneasiness they wanted to deliver.

===5. OVERALL - 7/10===

Never watch this at a family gathering.

I watched this movie because I loved the film "Kamikaze Girls" which was made by the same director. But instead, I got a film with a 'slice of hell' mushed all over it.

Moral To Story: Never do drugs.