Brutal, Heartbreaking, Bleak, but somehow still Beautiful.
Watched 26/10/2025 at opening weekend.Before going in to watch, I happened to see the director had said that she wanted to showcase the harsh realities of rising poverty amongst youth, an issue not often enough highlighted in modern Japan. The main symptom seen of this in media is the rise of so-called ‘yami baito’ in the news - in English, effectively ‘crime part time’ as desperate youths whose backgrounds aren’t so fortunate desperately try to stay afloat to afford rent, university, and the like.
This film showcases four such people, whose circumstances leave them nothing else to turn to. I did not expect to be so emotionally moved by this film, at all. The storytelling was also cleverly done, as nothing is revealed too quickly, yet upon seeing the whole picture, there is still beauty in the humanity you can find amidst the brutality. The story is largely told in three arcs, one for each protagonist, and the pacing was exactly as it needed to be. The use of perspective was also particularly clever in the sense that you start the film through the lens of the youngest and most inexperienced of the three protagonists, which also serves as an appropriate introduction to the world of yami baito for those unfamiliar with it. Acting was spectacular and gut-wrenching in exactly the ways it needed to be.
This film brought a range of emotions out in me, from the visceral nausea of reality to the sweetness that cannot be separated from the bitterness. This is not a film full of cheer, hope, and optimism, but it is still a film with a painfully heartwarming glimmer even at the most desperate times.
The closing song is beautiful and fitting, and other than that, the soundtrack was unobtrusive. In fact, I was so deeply invested in the story and characters I didn’t notice any music until the credits rolled, however there was most certainly music there and a composer credited.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone who can see it in cinemas, or anyone who enjoys crime-thrillers in general. It is a superbly well acted film. This is easily the best Japanese film I have seen since 18x2 Beyond Youthful Days (which I also reviewed at the time).
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Violence, Blood, Gore.
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a movie made for a specific audience
this movie is truly for specific audiences and i was one of those.to start off, the use of perspectives for the storytelling was in my opinion, a masterful use which allowed for the audience to see and almost experience the sweetness yet harsh reality of the characters and the world they have to live in - starting with the youngest, the one who's the most inexperienced and the last perspective being of the oldest with the most experience in that world.
the cinematography was so beautiful yet horrific in specific scenes. the scene of takuya all alone on his couch after what happened to him was grim and terrifying. although cinema has portrayed scenes arguably much more graphic and brutal, takuya and his state alongside the use of the back-shots to emphasise an eerie and unsettling feeling before the reveal which then was brutal and grotesque was truly something else. aid that, the fact that he was all alone for a while in that state, unconcious and bleeding out.
the acting was extraordinary, truly phenomenal. i was especially impressed by takumi's acting as takuya. his character was truly complex and there were so many layers which were peeled back gradually, the scene of takuya screaming in the back of the car after realising he could no longer see was splendid - his scream was both silent and loud, impactful in so many ways. mamoru's character being left all alone was so heartbreaking and bittersweet, although, realistic considering the gravity of the situation.
that then comes to the pacing and the ending itself. i personally think the pacing was perfect for the story as they also utilised different perspectives of three different characters, i feel it worked very well. the ending might not be what people wanted, they definitely wanted takuya and mamoru to be back together, the movie however is not made to create that sense of optimism and hope that they'd end up together again. it's truly bittersweet to see the contrast of mamoru all on his own compared to takuya with kajitani eating mackerel - parallel to when he'd first made it for mamoru.
"i wish mamoru could taste this."
AND I COULDN'T BREATH.
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