Directed by:
瀬々敬久Screenplay:
瀬々敬久Cinematography:
鍋島淳裕Composer:
半野喜弘Cast:
Tōma Ikuta, Eita Nagayama, 佐藤浩市, Kaho Indou, 山本美月, Yasuko Tomita, Eita Okuno, Kaoru Iida, 小市慢太郎, Kenichi Yajima, 青木崇高, 忍成修吾, Naomi Nishida, Jun Murakami, 片岡礼子 (more)Plots(1)
Masuda always thought of himself as a successful journalist, but after one of his articles unexpectedly causes tragedy he goes to work at a factory. As he gets to know a withdrawn coworker, a sudden suspicion grows that the man is perhaps a convicted murderer who once killed three little children. And maybe if he wrote an article about him he could get another crack at the world of journalism. At the same time, however, working on the piece reopens the scars of his own past. This carefully constructed picture, about the limits of responsibility and coming to terms with guilt, willingly engages philosophical questions without abandoning the draw of a thoroughly human story. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
(more)Reviews (2)
My Friend "A" is a deeply personal film that delves into its characters’ psyches to their very cores, leaving you emotionally drained by its explosion of sheer hopelessness and despair. It took me a while to fully immerse myself in the movie due to the large number of characters and seemingly unrelated storylines at the beginning. Ultimately, the film is a profound study of how people cope with the harsh consequences of actions for which they may or may not have been fully responsible. While some plot twists are a bit predictable, the story still takes unexpected turns and manages to surprise. It's a manifestation of depression, a disturbing film that strikes a chord with the darker side of human existence.
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Guilt. Remorse. Despair. Lots of characters, so many you wonder why they're there. Fortunately, by the end, it might make sense to some. I see a contrast. How someone struggles with their own guilt, shame, and condemnation. Unfortunately, you can see quite clearly in this film that Ikuta is not that good an actor (certainly not for serious roles) because of Eita standing by his side, who was something far more excellent. He was different than usual and he was great. Basically, it's worth watching for that alone. Quite a heavy film, but easy to digest. A better 3 stars.
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