Birds Without Names is a 2017 film that stars Aoi Yu, Sadao Abe, Tori Matzizaka, and Yutaka Takenouchi. The film was directed by Kazuya Shirashi and written by Taeko Asano for the big screen adaption. It's also based off the novel published in 2006 written by Mahokaru Numata. Toronto International Film Festival chose the film to be screened during their Contemporary World Cinema section in 2017.
A working class couple lives together in the city of Osaka. They aren't your ordinary couple since they met due to weird means. Certain means that the woman of the relationship can't even quite remember. She spends most of her days in the house, reliving the memories of her ex lover. The man that she's living with will do anything to make her happy but she doesn't appreciate him at all. She soon began to cheat on him but is shook to her core when it's revealed that her past lover has been missing for five years…..
Birds Without Names can be that film you have to just sit down and watch without distraction. This film is a dark romantic film where don't realize it until the very end. Many plot points do well painting the canvas as a mystery thriller. First impressions of the film might make you think that everything is starting off kind of slow. Similar to a blank white canvas that has nothing to really show for itself until the paint is added. As the film progresses forward, you learn that each character has their own color that blends together messily on the white canvas. These different characters are what push the story forward because you as the viewer want to figure each of them out. What is the driving force that makes them act the way that they do? Cheating comes into play but you wonder if there was ever an actually relationship going on in the first place to be cheated on. Sometimes true intentions are blurred so that you're left wondering what crazy emotions lie underneath each character. I enjoyed how events that take places make you doubt every single man that's involved with the lead female character. Then in that doubt, you try to guess who was the main villain here. You'll have your answer by the conclusion which layers on the shock factor to an all time high. The ending even puts a nice sealed lid on the can of worms that was this entire film(I mean this in a good way, though the film can be draining..). I didn't believe in the romance that the film spoon feds me at the end. What was seen in the final scene wasn't love to me. It's called finding a scapegoat to make yourself feel better about your crimes(though I understand why these crimes were committed.). Birds Without Names is a pretty good film because I can actually have a conversation about my thoughts after watching. Thought provoking films are normally good films.
Aoi Yu has really grown up to be a mature woman. She's not as young as she used to be but she looks like she hasn't aged a day. Her character even denies being young when told that she is in the film. Yu's character has a ton of emotional damage from her last relationship to the point that her past has turned her into a grouchy lady. Deep down she wants to be loved but her desire to do so causes her to choose the wrong men. Seeing Aoi Yu in a dark sensual role like this was a step up in her acting ability to me. Her sex scenes were good without showing all that she had to offer if you know what I mean. She plunges into a dark place for the character and she's amazing at the role. I've noticed that she's been killing it at darker roles recently. Sadao Abe was right there beside Yu when it came to acting in a very emotional manner. You will fell sorry for him even though he creeped me out most of the film. He takes it home as the best thing that happened to this film acting wise(besides Aoi Yu.). Tori Matsuzaka played the charming guy who comes in as the third wheel. He's charming because he's good looking and he uses his looks in his acting which works well as the raising conflict in the film. Yutaka plays the ex lover who went missing five years before. I loved his scenes with Aoi Yu because of how amazing she is in them. This in turn makes him act even better as well.
Production for this film took about a month to complete. Filming takes place in Osaka for those who care about Japan. Pretty basic shooting style was seen here but that's all this film really needed. for example, moving shots or special effect shots to show a character remembering a memory. The scene with the birds was one of my favorite scenes that was shot.
Fans of Japanese cinema will love Birds Without Names. The film isn't a brand new concept, however, it adds more reasons to why this kind of storytelling is absolute. Don't miss out on this hidden gem.
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