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Have you ever had a friend who has completely different opinions on life ? If so, how did you handle that? Happyend(2024) is a Japanese coming-of-agemovie which talks about this and many other such things I don't see representation in media much. It's set in near future dystopian world which I can't help but think is inspired by 1984 by George Owell. Oh it doesn't have Big Brother as such but I felt throughout that the idea was pretty similar.
I personally prefer to consume Asian fiction more compared to Western fictional because I feel I tend to connect to their storytelling more. A major reason for that is I find Asian culture collectivism bleeds into their stories and so does Western individualistic mindset in theirs. I find a sense of homeliness in Asian fiction and a sense of isolation in Western fiction. Happyend blended those feelings perfectly. Maybe it's because the director is both Japanese and American as I could find both the ideologies blended perfectly in this.
There's a sense of comfort as we watch these teenagers dynamic, their everyday gimmicks, their treasured friendships but there's isolate in the way they drift apart because of their different opinions.
This movie speaks to you in such a personal and political way. You cannot look away. The two protagonists' view points are explained beautifully and what makes them think that way is also portrayed. The movie wants us to think. It doesn't pick a side. You can see your way of thinking represented in any of the characters. I personally agree with Yuta's character. But what I love the most is the film adapts this amalgamation of opinions, acceptance of other's opinions perfectly. A lot of people are head-strong in their belief system. They will not change it no matter what. There are people who change their opinions after listening to others or give the other perspective a chance while still holding on to their opinions. There are people who don't do anything substantial while having a loud morale voice and there are people who actually do something concrete yet refuse to talk much about it.
It's movie about youth standing against authority that tries to monitor their every moment which makes it a coming of age movie. But we, as adults also face this dilemma every single day. Whether to accept this unfair reality of fight against even if doing so won't change much. It's a beautiful movie with lots of symbolism and the most wonderful part is, it will make you have entirety different perspectives and readings of the screenplay. This was mine. Thanks for watching.
I personally prefer to consume Asian fiction more compared to Western fictional because I feel I tend to connect to their storytelling more. A major reason for that is I find Asian culture collectivism bleeds into their stories and so does Western individualistic mindset in theirs. I find a sense of homeliness in Asian fiction and a sense of isolation in Western fiction. Happyend blended those feelings perfectly. Maybe it's because the director is both Japanese and American as I could find both the ideologies blended perfectly in this.
There's a sense of comfort as we watch these teenagers dynamic, their everyday gimmicks, their treasured friendships but there's isolate in the way they drift apart because of their different opinions.
This movie speaks to you in such a personal and political way. You cannot look away. The two protagonists' view points are explained beautifully and what makes them think that way is also portrayed. The movie wants us to think. It doesn't pick a side. You can see your way of thinking represented in any of the characters. I personally agree with Yuta's character. But what I love the most is the film adapts this amalgamation of opinions, acceptance of other's opinions perfectly. A lot of people are head-strong in their belief system. They will not change it no matter what. There are people who change their opinions after listening to others or give the other perspective a chance while still holding on to their opinions. There are people who don't do anything substantial while having a loud morale voice and there are people who actually do something concrete yet refuse to talk much about it.
It's movie about youth standing against authority that tries to monitor their every moment which makes it a coming of age movie. But we, as adults also face this dilemma every single day. Whether to accept this unfair reality of fight against even if doing so won't change much. It's a beautiful movie with lots of symbolism and the most wonderful part is, it will make you have entirety different perspectives and readings of the screenplay. This was mine. Thanks for watching.
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