A Girl missing is a 2019-2020 film directed by Koji Fukada and stars Mariko Tsutsui, Sosuke Ikematsu, and Mikako Ichikawa. The film was entered into many international film festivals, where many audiences had mixed reviews.
A family nurse keeps the secret that the teenager who adducted the family's daughter is her nephew. One day the media uncovers this information to the nurse's dismay as everything around the women begins to fall........ Soon revenge toward the one who betrayed her is all that's left.
A Girl Missing's title might make you think that this film is about a kidnapping or a mystery of finding someone who has gone missing. Your thinking wouldn't be completely wrong however, the story doesn't focus around the idea of a girl missing. Instead you are forced to see into the side profile of the characters who the missing girl were left behind. The main character is pushed in the middle of a conflict that really has nothing to do with her outside of being related to the kidnaper. Her only mistake was not being straightforward about her blood relation and allowing the media to break her secret first. As a result, the whole last act of the film is her life being destroyed while her lust for revenge grows. Most of the film slides between the past to the present where you don't know which is which unless you pay close attention. Then, the film's paces waddles along at a turtle's pace but Fukada's films tend to showcase styles for simplicity. A Girl's Missing's final scene puts the main character had a crossroads where she had a choice to go down whatever road she chose. I believe that the audience was split on her decision but her choosing to walk away showed growth in character. I honestly would have taken her choosing the more darker choice too. It's just that that would have subjected the character to more of the pain that she already experienced.
Mariko Tsutsui was great to watch as a women blamed for something she didn't even do. You can see her character tries to make the best of the situation. Things only get worse though. She's not a perfect character nor is her plan for revenge perfect. Her acting makes me feel uncomfortable at times during the film as well.
A Girl Missing isn't a perfect film at all. This film isn't Fukada's best work either. I do however think that the concept of second hand blame was a good plot idea. Harmonium was a better film in my opinion.
No comments:
Post a Comment