Story: The plot is pretty simple,or so it seems at first.A bunch of bored teenage delinquents playing a life-risking game in order to prove their courage.But,of course it's not just that.Behind the "clapping game" hides the desire of the students to prevail over their classmates,to gain a place in that depressing,cruel reality,showing us how fearful power can be and the dreadful consequences of it.In contrast to this,we are also shown the strange and fragile friendship amongst the boys,their doubts and decisions for their lives.It may be slow-paced at some parts but it's ideal for creating the atmosphere and our image of the characters.
Acting/Cast: In my opinion,they couldn't have picked better actors for this movie! Matsuda Ryuhei and especially Arai Hirofumi are just perfect for the roles of Kujo and Aoki-they brought to life such complex characters! The rest of the cast were very good too.
Music: The soundtrack truly completed the movie for me."Drop" at the end and also "Akage no Kelly" brings me back many memories of this beautiful movie!
Rewatch Value: This is also a 10/10.Rewatching "Blue Spring" is a must!Especially since many important parts/messages of the movie could be easily missed and you'll be left confused.Going back to study the characters and to understand their way of thinking will help you understand why things turned out the way they did.
Overall: "Blue Spring" is not flawless and there are some things that could be added (such as more background stories about the students)or explained better in order for the viewer to get a complete understanding of the situation.However,this could be the intention of the director-to get us thinking and if that was the case,I have to admit he succeeded for sure!The atmosphere was very fitting and artistic too-I really enjoyed everything.
An excellent movie but definitely NOT for everyone.
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Overall i feel like the movie is very artistic and accomplishes what it is set out to.
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PD: english it's not my native language , so.. sorry ^^
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The cinematography was simply perfect for the vibe and the soundtrack couldn't have been more perfect to represent teen angst. Also really loved the use of slowmo, sometimes in films I can feel sorta desperate to speed up a slowmo that lasts too long but they really knew when to utilize it throughout and it really emphasized certain scenes. Will definitely be that kind of movie that I can't stop thinking about for weeks.
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This review may contain spoilers
Do not even know how to explain this movie in words. But please watch. The MUSIC IS AMAZING, even though I don't understand the lyrics the music does an amazing job conveying emotions behind the scene. What all those body did and went though...jesus. The teacher/gardener was really full of wisdom and said what the ML needed to hear. The ending scene was really unexpected, but then again so was the movie. The scene where the 2nd ML is on the terrence for the entire day was so cinematic in its own way. You really get to know it took him long to make the decision he made, or it could be his own way of reflecting and saying goodbye in his own way (watch and interpret it how you please) Was this review helpful to you?
A Powerful Portrayal of Alienated Teens During Japan's "Lost Decade"
"Blue Spring" is regarded as a minor classic in Japan, and for 3 good reasons. First, the director maintains a swift pace and holds your interest despite the absence of one overarching plot (instead, the plot's fueled by a number of different acts of alienation portrayed by an ensemble cast). Second, it features then unknown teenage actors who went on to have extremely successful careers -- eg, Matsuda Ryuhei, Arai Hirofumi and Nagayama Eita.Third, it is set in the late-90's, right when Japan's economic bubble had burst and the nation was reeling with unemployment, bankruptcy, crime and the inevitability of angry, futureless teens forming gangs. It's this third element more than anything else that accounts for the movie's fame, because this era looms so large in the Japanese psyche that they even refer to it as "The Lost Decade." And it was the teenagers of "The Lost Decade" who felt the brunt of economic despair the most because they were at what should've been the start of careers but were, instead, at the start of a road to nowhere. The movie conveys this hopelessness with excellent dialogue, such as the following exchange between a teen, and a teacher wherein the teen compares himself to a flower:
-- "Teacher, aren’t there some flowers that never bloom?"
-- "Flowers are meant to bloom, not to dry up. That’s what I choose to believe. It’s a very important thing.”
The blooming of flowers is a recurring metaphor, which is also expressed with an inner monologue of a boy who's just dropped out of school. He has realized that his life will never bloom and that he is, as he calls himself, a "loser."
-- "I staked my whole life on baseball. My only goal was the nationals. In this shithole of a school baseball was my only flower. I staked my life on my bat, my dreams on my pitches all to make the spirit of baseball bloom. In the midst of the roaring crowd, a glimpse of my mother's face. She's always there to love even a fool like me. Always ready to smile. I love you so much for that. Even if my body was broken and all my tears and sweat dried up, my dream remained the nationals. No regret for my youth. Loser."
What's especially marvelous about "Blue Spring" is how the theme of teenage alienation is conveyed just as powerfully with a punk rock soundtrack as it is with such dialogue. That is to say, it's the nature of punk rock to speak of the same raw, angry nihilism of futureless youths. And the song "Drop" from the uber cool J-punk band "Thee Michelle Gun Elephant" is pitch perfect for the final plot point.
Music, acting, setting, characters, and theme all converge seamlessly to create a movie that's just as compelling for contemporary audiences as it was to those actually experiencing "The Lost Decade" back then. You see, the movie succeeds as more than a cultural commentary about a specific era, and it does so by evoking a timeless, universal theme -- which is, of course, the timeless, universal theme of teenage alienation.
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i didn’t like the plot it’s just like meaningless movie for me, also i still don’t understand about the plot, maybe they’re worrying about their future? but why are they suddenly become like that???
I didn't like how the background music played like that throughout the story, it’s a bit noisy :(
i give 0.5 points for the main lead “Kujo” for being hawt and kinda cute at 01s
but anyway i really love the vibes tho !!!!!
18/11………………………..
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