This review may contain spoilers
STORY:
I finished this movie back in early ’22 and I haven’t been able to let it go since. Only reason I’m writing a review now, and not earlier, I guess is due to how impossibly raw it renders me and to be able to give my honest words I needed to revision it. A task easier said than done.
(I’ll be skipping certain parts and mainly focus on Naomi and Maki and their relationship.)
Wherever I read about this movie and peoples thoughts, it’s the same: ”How could Naomi”, ”The ending didn’t make sense”, ”I don’t understand what happened in the last 1/3” - that’s okey. It’s okey to not be able to grasp, or understand, why the movie went as it did. One factor might be that people come here expecting a ”BL” - I fear this is less of that, and more of a queer movie. Going in believing you’ll get the same turns as you’d normally get, this movie will be straight up disappointing.
No kissing, no on-the-nose confessions, no magically happy ending. It’s raw and honest and a story that, at least myself, have seen played out around me when someone closeted faces a part of themselves that they have never touched before.
To have it said - Naomi treated Maki awfully. Middle to end his own uncertainties, fears and insecurities bleed into what was (and had) formed between the two, finding violent, wordless means to express a want and need he didn’t know the language to.
Maki, on the contrary, knows himself. He knows that, the love and closeness he wants, isn’t conventional or easy to find. The pool scene where he expresses that he feels this force field around him, driving people away, was such a powerful way to open up to soemone he’s evidently grown to like without putting himself on blast would Naomi in fact NOT understand or take it well. In doing so did he also (unknowingly) give Naomi words that Naomi himself understood, finding himself able to confess that he, too, feel the same. For the story, this moment is huge.
Nothing has really ever made me feel the same way their "playfights ” did, even now years later. It’s straight up beautiful storytelling and it’s so sad, sadder than I think some people realise. Both that, for Naomi to know how to even begin to show physical affection, he had to resort to punches, is in and out of itself heartbreaking.
It speaks about how he’s been raised.
It shows how lack of understanding results in violence, fueled by enaourmous feelings needing an outlet, and also a hint to that - despite him having had a girlfriend - the feelings and needs aren’t the same. What he feels towards Maki is larger and burning, it’s scary and new and something he shouldn’t want, while what he felt for Kaho most certainly was affection, but not love and want in the same way: gentler, expected, socially accepted and without any risks. And so, he punches.
And for Maki, who takes it and plays into it - wants it just as bad - a sign that parts of him will allow anything as long as he isn’t just drifting alone anymore. If this is the way to get to hold and feel Naomi, then he’ll do it. To quote ”The perks of being a wallflower”: We accept the love we think we deserve. At the start, I fear he was terrified that this would blow over, to watch Naomi slip away again, that he hurled himslef into it all the same.
The real sorrow begins when Naomi can’t move past it, can’t allow it to grow into something gentler, while Maki starts to ask for that exact thing, no reassured that Naomi does feel the same as he does. ”But why can’t he?” Fear. He’s scared. Scared and confused and stuck between holding onto the version of himself who, while not perfect, is familiar and the version of himself he has no outlines for. How will his father react if he finds out? How will the town they live in? Can they stay? Is the only answer to hide what they have? What if Maki leaves, then what? Would it even be safe? So many things, but because he has no tools to voice his feelings, him and Maki never talk. Not really.
The closest he gets is when he admits he doesn’t understand.
And so the cycle continous and spiral, and he yet again resort to violent means by robbing in an attempt to get them abroad. This part especially, was what truly cemented that their story wouldn’t continue, no matter what happened. Because Maki is ready to wait, while to Naomi, if they don’t leave, he’ll never be able to give them a chance. I can’t say for certain, but I believe Naomi saw this as the one opportunity to try be with Maki. His one surge of bravery, knowing that if they stayed then he’d never dare again. And he doesn’t. He goes to jail, and he never leaves.
As for the ending, without spoiling too much, do I think it not only made sense but was an incredibly hard watch for all the right reasons. This is a story about discovering (and falling in) love, surrounded by an everyday that is both placid and hostile - not a love story. I couldn’t ever praise this piece enough.
ACTING/CASTING:
The casting of every character was brilliant. Even skill levels, excellent performances, a natural and realistic momentum to every scene and line delivered. Shuri (Maki) and Shion (Naomi) were incredible together, bouncing off of one another in outstanding ways and delivered a story that so easily can go on feeling tired, cringy and even boring.
MUSIC:
I love the soundtrack in this movie, it has such significant impact to the scenes and elevates them in that way only a good pick can. Giving it a 9 rather than 10 solely for the reason that I haven’t felt a need to find any of the pieces used afterwards.
REWATCH VALUE:
It’s a rough watch, because it doesn’t hodl your hand at any point, but it is most definetly worth seeing more than once.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I’ve loved few movies the way I love "Let me hear it barefoot”. It’s a masterpiece that deserves to extend beyond japanese bl and when people speak of good queer movies, this one should be among the titles. I spoke very little of anything besides their relationship, which is shame on me, but teh side characters are all fleshed out and dynamic, their own little stories and lives feel so genuine and mapped out and help moving the story forward. It’s never stagnant and does the organic buildup so well.
I finished this movie back in early ’22 and I haven’t been able to let it go since. Only reason I’m writing a review now, and not earlier, I guess is due to how impossibly raw it renders me and to be able to give my honest words I needed to revision it. A task easier said than done.
(I’ll be skipping certain parts and mainly focus on Naomi and Maki and their relationship.)
Wherever I read about this movie and peoples thoughts, it’s the same: ”How could Naomi”, ”The ending didn’t make sense”, ”I don’t understand what happened in the last 1/3” - that’s okey. It’s okey to not be able to grasp, or understand, why the movie went as it did. One factor might be that people come here expecting a ”BL” - I fear this is less of that, and more of a queer movie. Going in believing you’ll get the same turns as you’d normally get, this movie will be straight up disappointing.
No kissing, no on-the-nose confessions, no magically happy ending. It’s raw and honest and a story that, at least myself, have seen played out around me when someone closeted faces a part of themselves that they have never touched before.
To have it said - Naomi treated Maki awfully. Middle to end his own uncertainties, fears and insecurities bleed into what was (and had) formed between the two, finding violent, wordless means to express a want and need he didn’t know the language to.
Maki, on the contrary, knows himself. He knows that, the love and closeness he wants, isn’t conventional or easy to find. The pool scene where he expresses that he feels this force field around him, driving people away, was such a powerful way to open up to soemone he’s evidently grown to like without putting himself on blast would Naomi in fact NOT understand or take it well. In doing so did he also (unknowingly) give Naomi words that Naomi himself understood, finding himself able to confess that he, too, feel the same. For the story, this moment is huge.
Nothing has really ever made me feel the same way their "playfights ” did, even now years later. It’s straight up beautiful storytelling and it’s so sad, sadder than I think some people realise. Both that, for Naomi to know how to even begin to show physical affection, he had to resort to punches, is in and out of itself heartbreaking.
It speaks about how he’s been raised.
It shows how lack of understanding results in violence, fueled by enaourmous feelings needing an outlet, and also a hint to that - despite him having had a girlfriend - the feelings and needs aren’t the same. What he feels towards Maki is larger and burning, it’s scary and new and something he shouldn’t want, while what he felt for Kaho most certainly was affection, but not love and want in the same way: gentler, expected, socially accepted and without any risks. And so, he punches.
And for Maki, who takes it and plays into it - wants it just as bad - a sign that parts of him will allow anything as long as he isn’t just drifting alone anymore. If this is the way to get to hold and feel Naomi, then he’ll do it. To quote ”The perks of being a wallflower”: We accept the love we think we deserve. At the start, I fear he was terrified that this would blow over, to watch Naomi slip away again, that he hurled himslef into it all the same.
The real sorrow begins when Naomi can’t move past it, can’t allow it to grow into something gentler, while Maki starts to ask for that exact thing, no reassured that Naomi does feel the same as he does. ”But why can’t he?” Fear. He’s scared. Scared and confused and stuck between holding onto the version of himself who, while not perfect, is familiar and the version of himself he has no outlines for. How will his father react if he finds out? How will the town they live in? Can they stay? Is the only answer to hide what they have? What if Maki leaves, then what? Would it even be safe? So many things, but because he has no tools to voice his feelings, him and Maki never talk. Not really.
The closest he gets is when he admits he doesn’t understand.
And so the cycle continous and spiral, and he yet again resort to violent means by robbing in an attempt to get them abroad. This part especially, was what truly cemented that their story wouldn’t continue, no matter what happened. Because Maki is ready to wait, while to Naomi, if they don’t leave, he’ll never be able to give them a chance. I can’t say for certain, but I believe Naomi saw this as the one opportunity to try be with Maki. His one surge of bravery, knowing that if they stayed then he’d never dare again. And he doesn’t. He goes to jail, and he never leaves.
As for the ending, without spoiling too much, do I think it not only made sense but was an incredibly hard watch for all the right reasons. This is a story about discovering (and falling in) love, surrounded by an everyday that is both placid and hostile - not a love story. I couldn’t ever praise this piece enough.
ACTING/CASTING:
The casting of every character was brilliant. Even skill levels, excellent performances, a natural and realistic momentum to every scene and line delivered. Shuri (Maki) and Shion (Naomi) were incredible together, bouncing off of one another in outstanding ways and delivered a story that so easily can go on feeling tired, cringy and even boring.
MUSIC:
I love the soundtrack in this movie, it has such significant impact to the scenes and elevates them in that way only a good pick can. Giving it a 9 rather than 10 solely for the reason that I haven’t felt a need to find any of the pieces used afterwards.
REWATCH VALUE:
It’s a rough watch, because it doesn’t hodl your hand at any point, but it is most definetly worth seeing more than once.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I’ve loved few movies the way I love "Let me hear it barefoot”. It’s a masterpiece that deserves to extend beyond japanese bl and when people speak of good queer movies, this one should be among the titles. I spoke very little of anything besides their relationship, which is shame on me, but teh side characters are all fleshed out and dynamic, their own little stories and lives feel so genuine and mapped out and help moving the story forward. It’s never stagnant and does the organic buildup so well.
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