anybody seen it yet?

I'll be seeing it this sunday at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Will get back with my views on it. Loved pretty much everything Hirokazu Koreeda has done so far, i'm sure that this will be no different :)

So yeh, i just saw it tonight. My initial reaction wasn't too great, but that's not to say it was bad. As a movie, i rated it 7/10 (which isn't bad in anyway), but compared to his other works, i thought that the film could have been a bit tighter.

The acting was superb (as it is in all of Koreeda's films) and the performances he gets out of the child actors, although doesn't quite hit the likes of "Nobody Knows" and "I Wish" is still wonderful.

The film plays out similar to "Still walking" and "I wish", a simple and slow moving family drama that's driven primarily by the development of key characters. In this case, its the titular father who is given the most screen time, and the sense of turmoil he faces is brilliantly handled. His wife also gives a fairly convincing performance, but isnt given enough room to clearly show too much.

However, having said this, its the script that kind of holds it back from ever hitting truly great status. As far as dialogue goes, I'd have to say that "Still Walking" still stands supreme in terms of the naturalistic, extreme slice of life feel you get from the back and forths between the characters. The input of possibly uneccesary scenes also break the immersion at times. There comes a moment in the film where I thought it could have ended (the scene itself cuts to black) but then proceeds to go on for another 30 minutes. There are some subplots (regarding legal issues) that felt a little underdeveloped. The premise behind the subplot was good, but it felt like it was just there in the background to act as some sort of parallel without ever really coming to the foreground.


Ended up being quite a long post, but if you have any questions about the movie feel free to shoot me a question. Definitely worth a watch if you enjoy his other films. I just didn't feel as though it quite met the standards he set in some of his previous works.

I think it's a triumph. Kore-eda extracts such warmth and insight from what could easily have been a trite premise that he once again proves himself as something of a miracle worker. With a visual style that probes when needed and stays distant when appropriate, stylistically it is beautiful. The characters are fascinating - one emerging as a de facto protagonist, but plenty time dedicated to letting us get to know the wider ensemble in intimate, varied ways. The result is a heartbreaking drama, where every action and statement could have devastating consequences. All this without stooping to cheap melodrama or sentiment.

As emotionally generous and engaging as cinema gets, really, and another stellar notch on a master's belt.

I just saw this film today. I have some minor problems with it and feel it could have been stronger had the two families been presented on more equal terms - the rich/poor divide was a rather obvious device and two rich families or two poor families might have made for a more distinctive film. But that said I was enthralled throughout the movie. The superb cast and Koreeda's knack for very authentic characters and situations was in full force. This picture moved me greatly - I'm not a parent but I was thoroughly caught up in the agonising, unimaginable horror of the situation the families were put in. A terrific film.

Saw it at my local independent cinema in the UK last night (the Poole Lighthouse), and thought it was a interesting concept that was explored in a engagingly relaxed way.

As I'm not a parent perhaps it didn't move me as much as it would others, but that's not really a criticism. I thought the performances were great across the board (especially the children) too - this is one worth watching (or catching on TV if it's ever shown on it), and makes me want to see some of Koreeda's other films.

Saw it today.

It's good but very heavy. What I found interesting is that the focus is not so much the baby switch but more the successful dad and how he deals with the situation. His views on parenthood and values and whether they are right or wrong.

Come to think of it, the movie might even be viewed as criticism on the traditional role of the man in Japanese society.

Did you ever notice that people who believe in creationism look really un-evolved? - Bill Hicks

Wife and I saw it last night here in Madrid and were enthralled. Of course, we adore the slow, unsentimental pace of artistic Asian films like this; most people we know, though, would find it deadly boring. For us, the two hours raced by. The ending caught me (but not my wife) by surprise. I had to turn to a couple behind us to confirm what had actually happened.

We saw it dubbed very convincingly into Spanish, which facilitates distribution beyond the art houses.

This movie is all kinds of wonderful. I won't ruin anything but everyone should give this one a try.