:
Joe Odagiri,
Joe Odagiri,
Tadanobu Asano,
more...
:
Kiyoshi Kurosawa,
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
see all cast/crew...
: Not Rated
: Palm Pictures
: Drama, Foreign, Japan
: Japanese, Jap
: English
see additional details...
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Acclaimed Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa departs from the horror genre for this mystical story of urban ennui. Friends Mamoru (Tadanobu Asano) and Yuji (Joe Odagiri) are aimless young men stuck in dead-end jobs in a dreary factory in Tokyo. Mamoru, the more antisocial of the two, is obsessed with his pet project of acclimating a poisonous jellyfish to fresh water by gradually changing the water in its tank. One night, he inexplicably murders his boss' family and is sentenced to death. Yuji, left to continue the jellyfish experiment, befriends Mamoru's estranged father, and the two form a bond that helps him overcome his emotional troubles. But his attachment to the jellyfish is even stronger, and problems arise when he accidentally releases the poisonous creature into the canals of Tokyo. ~ Tom Vick, All Movie Guide
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| This One May Turn You Upside Down
by talltale
March 10, 2005 - 4:28 PM PST
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1 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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| BRIGHT FUTURE (talk about ironic titles) is a film I hesitate to say whether I liked or not. It had me going back and forth--which I guess is the part of its point. It's an original that reminds me most of "Songs from the Second Floor" (also an original, but even better). Visually stunning (in its off-and-on, washed out/gorgeous way) and full of metaphor and sadness, it's directed by the man who gave us "Cure," another original stunner. It makes you ponder the differences between the old and young, freak out even more at our lost environment, question life and perhaps be more tolerant of death--and some other not terribly pleasant ruminations. Best to simply say that this is one of those movies you must recommend to any film buff, love it or hate it, because it is just plain THAT special. |
| Another subtle, opaque meditation from the "other" Kurosawa
by CVanWagner
July 10, 2004 - 3:37 PM PDT
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5 out of 5 members found this review helpful
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Before I say anything else, let me say this: if you're looking for another "Pulse," this isn't it. Go rent "Uzumaki" instead, although you need to see this film anyway.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa's work isn't for everyone: he's not much for exposition, his pacing is very methodical, and his films rarely explain themselves (everything he has to say is said between the lines...and nowhere else.) If you're someone who gets frustrated when a film doesn't seem to have a "point," look elsewhere.
For the rest of us, his meditations on human disconnectedness, loneliness, and alienation hold a wealth of subtle treasures. With "Bright Future," Kurosawa tackles the hopelessly complex issue of the aimlessness of modern youth, and what can happen when all that youthful energy has no place to go. Like the luminous jellyfish that provide the film's centerpiece, they can be beautiful, adaptable, and very, very dangerous.
The setup is simple: two youthful friends find themselves adrift, working a soulless job that may become permanent. Faced with a boss who seems to be trying to "borrow" their youth, one friend commits a hideous, senseless act of violence, which allows the other to build a "bright future" from the discarded fragments of the first boy's messy life...which might (or might not) have been the plan all along.
What I like about Kurosawa's style is his balance. Our hero is a good kid, but is prone to senseless violence himself. His friend is a psychopath, but sacrifices himself so that someone else may live the good life he can't. Nobody is perfect, but nobody's really a bad guy, either. This allows the film to have a clear moral imperative without being preachy or didactic, which is usually the downfall of the "troubled youth" film. |
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More reviews for titles in this product:
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| Cannes Film Festival & More - 2003 |
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| Official Selection, Certain Regards... and more. Here is a bit more information on the films screened at the Cannes. I have attempted to list all the films that were considered for an award as well as any special screenings. |
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