Confessions
Tetsuya Nakashima
The story: This Japanese drama starts out in a regular, if overly boisterous, middle school classroom. The students are drinking milk, messing around and generally paying little heed to their form teacher Yoko Moriguchi (Takako Matsu).
The only thing that strikes a slightly off-note is that Moriguchi appears cold and does not seem to care that she has lost control of the class. Then, she begins to calmly recount a chilling tale of how her four-year-old daughter was murdered and how she has plotted revenge on those responsible.
The movie then goes on to present confessions from several other points of view, including the perpetrators’.
Confessions uses the sensationalistic murder of a defenceless young child to explore notions of culpability, justice and vengeance. There is even a direct reference to Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime And Punishment, which takes on similar themes.
Issues which have caused much hand-wringing from time to time in Japan, such as bullying in schools and juvenile delinquency, are presented here in an unflinching manner.
The aim here, though, is not to delve into a study of sociological ills or provide easy solutions but to weave these dark threads into a gripping, provocative and darkly mesmerising thriller.
Based on the best-selling and award- winning debut mystery novel by Kanae Minato, the film was a hit in its native Japan where it reigned atop the box office for four weeks.
The material is a good fit for director and scriptwriter Tetsuya Nakashima, who had previously helmed the quirky musical comedy Memories Of Matsuko (2006) and Kamikaze Girls (2004), which tackled youth and identity.
His visual flair is evident here and the scenes of the students drinking milk are stylishly and lovingly portrayed. It is not just pretty images for their own sake, though, and the emphasis on this innocuous activity is to set us up for the sinister twist that is to come.
As the story spirals into ever darker territory, and loneliness, grief and anger gather into a potent mix, he maintains a slightly overwrought tone that works well for the dramatic material.
Admirably, there is no fake happy ending here but one laced with the blackest humour.
The cast of fresh-faced teenage unknowns bring a realistic immediacy to the key roles of the students but the big surprise here has to be Takako Matsu.
Known for playing the sweet young thing in hit idol dramas such as Love Generation (1997) and Hero (2001), she has grown into an increasingly assured actress. As a grieving, vengeful mother, she effectively plays against type, though diabolical is perhaps a bit too much of a stretch for her.
Regardless, these are Confessions you will want to be privy to.
(ST)