The story and the plot are unusual (in a good way), so it makes me did not want to blink while watching it, because I fear of missing the next surprise that will be given by this movie. They seem to provide several separate stories, but in the end we can see the thread that connects all the stories that are like a puzzle.
My most favorite confession is from Moriguchi Yoko.
Was this review helpful to you?
This movie shocked me to my core. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it as I'm writing this review.
Some points of the movie are a bit confusing plot-wise, but the acting of those young actors and actresses are phenomenal. The way they conveyed emotions and portrayed the characters had me gripping my seat.
Second of all, the way the music is connected to the different scenes grips your heart and squeezes it until it hurts. The cinematography of each scene is so beautifully placed, that you almost feel like its happening to you.
Overall it really makes you think about the subjects that are shown in the movie.
Overall; 10/10 would recommend.
Was this review helpful to you?
i found myself on the edge of my seat the whole time,. the heavy and tangled plot drew me in the whole time i couldn't catch myself being bored or looking away for a second , what i love the most is the scene in the end , which i cant spoil for anyone , but it was just...genius it's the only word that comes to mind to describe it ..
I cant even grasp my thoughts to talk about how amazingly and thoughtfully it was filmed..through the whole movie it's heavily filtered with grey and cool undertones which helps deliver the idea and the feelings of the characters , every shot is well thought and accompanied with a very fitting soundtrack , this was a big part of why i loved this movie the moment my eyes fell on the opening scenes
I 100% recommend this , even if it isn't your cup of tea you will still come out feeling like something in you has changed.
Was this review helpful to you?
A masterpiece
I usually don’t like overly stylish movies that look like a perfume commercial or music video, but when it’s so incredibly well done like this one, I make an exception. Everything was top-notch: the directing, photography, editing, music, writing, and acting. I was especially impressed that the actors playing the students were actual teens, and they did an amazing job. And I need to give a shout out to Masaki for totally nailing his role as the inspiring young teacher from the typical J drama or movie, but this time subverted as a clueless laughing stock. He was absolutely perfect for the part.Out of all the Japanese movies I’ve seen from this millennium, Confessions, along with Love Exposure and A Bride for Rip Van Winkle, were the greatest.
Was this review helpful to you?
Never repay hatred with hatred, it'll never bring peace to mind
This was a damn unexpectedly satisfying movie. I was seriously mind-blown about how this movie turns out. It hit the back of my head like crazy. This is definitely one of the movies that I can say, you can never really tell until it's over. The movie started as stated on the plot and it wasn't even half of the movie so I was thinking, what else could be there to tell. I literally fell asleep during the first 30-minute of the movie and decided to continue watching it after I woke up.Apparently, there's still much to tell. The plot tells the point of view of the teacher however the latter part dives on the point of view of the students involved. The way they reason out things, the life they had that made them that way. It was very thrilling to see the story from their perspective. From this part it just went from 0 to 100 real quick. Everything became exciting and this movie became one of that movies that I will remember.
One of the biggest contributor for making this a successful movie are the excellent acting of the casts. I was a bit skeptical at first because they were just a bunch of teens and the plot is really dark however the young age actually made the impact even bigger. Kudos to them really. The very dark message of this message is definitely something I'll keep in mind all the time. If you let your negative emotions turn into evil deeds, everything will just turn out evil and chaotic. It will definitely come back to eat you alive.
I don't want to spoil the major KABOOM of this movie so it's better for you to just watch it. Trust me it will get better in the middle. Think of the start as the calm before the storm. I am so glad, I have found this movie.
Was this review helpful to you?
Plot twists don't make a good movie
If you like movies that give you shock value, this movie is definitely a must-watch for you. As for me, it's a movie I will probably not remember for long.I liked the fact that everything the synopsis gives you happens in the first 9 minutes and then you're left wondering, but I would not say that whatever happens after that is anything exciting because it mostly relies, as mentioned, on shock value which I personally don't prefer. The way the story is told though, is unique and very much to be applauded for; the separation into parts which are not chronologically related is a pretty smart choice for a plot like this one.
As for the characters, they don't really leave anything in your memory because it feels like the moviemaker thinks they are so smart for leaving things unsaid and deceiving the viewer but it comes off as cheap strategy rather than the "unpredictable plot-twist" that it's trying to be. I really don't have much more to say about the characters, which in itself says a lot.
The cinematography is captivating so it does it job in setting the right atmosphere.
I got no message from this movie which kind of pissed me off because it was obvious they were trying to convey something with it. Didn't reach me, for sure.
Was this review helpful to you?
Gripping and unsettling revenge story with some interesting narrative and production choices
This extremely dark movie is a revenge story centred around a crime committed in a middle school background. The plot is unsettling as the viewer witnesses a patchwork of criminal acts, toxic behaviours, mental health issues and disturbing scenes. I found the pace of the story really good as the film progresses and the motivations of some of the characters unveil. It might feel a bit over-the-top at some point but it succeed in being frighteningly believable somewhat. I appreciated the ambivalence of the ending and the fact that there is a greyish morale to it...Acting-wise, the cast was overall pretty good. Matsu Takako is good as this distraught, cold and relentless character seeking revenge. She is a bit over-shadowed by the performances of the three teens actors: given their young ages and the darkness of their scenes, I found them pretty impressive and convincing, even though sometimes their acting might have been a bit too "over-the-top" or uneven.
Production-wise, it manages to showcase the different perspective of the stakeholders in a gripping way. Even the more narrated parts (which are "telling" more than "showing") are captivating to follow due to some inspired mise-en-scene. There was some elements that I felt a bit too exaggerated (in terms of visual effects or for example with the blood spattering...) to the detriment of the poignancy of some of the scenes but it was still super impactful overall. The soundtrack was suitable for the film but not memorable to me.
I would recommend this to people looking for a gripping revenge story, quite different in its narrative style. If you loved manga such as "Teseusu no fune", you might love this as it gives some similar vibe. Given the crime committed as well as the various topics approached in the film, it features heavily (a lot) of really triggering components. I would strongly suggest to look at the tags before watching this if you have any triggers. If you don't, this could be better to go watch it blind in order to not spoil yourself of course.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I *clap* LOVE *clap* THIS *clap* FREAKIN *clap* MOVIE!
I will mention a few spoilers but I really loved this movie so much and I can't tell you how much the book impacted me. What I loved about that movie is our main protagonist. She's definitely not a good person and she is more of an anti-hero. She lacks the capability of caring for other people that aren't her family and she doesn't have a moral compass that prevents her from taking her revenge. It's kinda like fighting poison with another poison. The kids ended up having their lives destroyed, or murdered, LOL. The child murdered didn't live a happy life either which made me really happy. It also shows how important child neglect is and the loopholes in the law that people take advantage of, moreover that it became a leeway for child murders "BecaUSe tHe laW pRotecTs THem". What you must love about this movie is the atmosphere. It's so poetic and gloomy that it sends a shiver down your spine! I recommended rewatching it because this is good shit!Was this review helpful to you?
dark madness
unremittingly dark and depressing 〜my final perception of this film is that what starts as a scenario just barely plausible as real presents through increasingly destructive imagery a metaphorical descent into madness reflected in the surreal final twists。as film it was well done with the lighting and camera work conveying the dark and claustrophobic atmosphere (？the enclosed space of the mind within which it takes place) I can not give it top score because though I recognise its merit at an intellectual level for me this film is devoid of anything uplifting： why do we（or maybe better why do we have to）produce such films？Was this review helpful to you?
Still worth to watch in 2022
Because there's already so many reviews, I just have to say: This movie is still worth to watch now, in 2022. I myself been curious about this movie from sometime ago, but didn't watch it until 2021. Even for someone who doesn't really into j-culture, this is totally enjoyable movie to watch. The plot itself is already intriguing, and the actors-especially Takako Matsu, are all amazing.You need to watch this movie at least once in your lifetime. Very recommended movie for someone who likes dark/crime/psychology thriller genre.
Was this review helpful to you?
No fue lo que esperaba y me encantó.
La vida de la maestra de secundaria Moriguchi Yoko se derrumba después del asesinato de su hija de 4 años. Eventualmente, ella descubre que los culpables fueron dos de sus estudiantes, por lo que decide poner en práctica un elaborado plan para vengarse.Esta es una de las películas japonesas más aplaudidas de los últimos tiempos y no es para menos, porque realmente me pareció muy buena.
Desde el principio se puede sentir un aura de opresión, sobre todo gracias a las tomas con filtros grises y a los cielos nublados. Básicamente se nota que el aire está denso, que lo que está pasando tiene un peso muy grande, y la forma en la que la película está filmada es excelente para transmitir eso.
Me sorprendió mucho que el filme ya empezara con la profesora culpando a los responsables del asesinato de su hija, ya que supuse que eso pasaría más o menos por la mitad, pero no, la historia en sí va por otro lado. Se tratan muchos temas y los personajes encarnan diferentes problemáticas que tocan muy de cerca a la sociedad japonesa: sobreprotección vs padres ausentes, querer destacar vs pasar desapercibido, etc. Esto sin contar las múltiples críticas sociales presentes en la película, sobre todo en cuanto a lo problemática que resulta la ley en algunos casos.
Por otro lado, la película no se llama "confesiones" solo porque sí, acá hay varios personajes importantes y vemos las cosas desde sus diferentes puntos de vista, lo que va entretejiendo una trama que, a pesar de resultar un poquito compleja, se entiende a la perfección, sobre todo gracias a lo bien enlazado que está todo.
Creo que lo que más destaco es que logré entender bien a todos los personajes independientemente de que compartiera o no sus formas de pensar, algunos incluso me dieron un poco de pena llegando al final.
En fin, una película interesante, bien escrita, con actores que trabajan muy bien (todo el elenco joven es realmente muy bueno), mensajes claros y bien transmitidos, una buena banda sonora y un ritmo lento pero entretenido que se mantiene hasta el final. Amé.
•IG DE RESEÑAS CORTAS: @altoplottwist
Was this review helpful to you?
