Wayne K
I watched Shinya Tsukamoto's early film Tetsuo: The Iron Man a few months ago as research for a podcast episode. It's a very strange film, decidedly singular, but its enjoyable in its own way. I watched Kotoko last night and, despite the significantly better cinematography, I didn't enjoy it at all. The premise is intriguing, about a single mother, commendably played by Yuko Nakamura, who's experiencing hallucinations and is deemed unfit to care for her child, though making common sense mistakes such as cradling her child while she holds a hot pan seem to be her biggest flaws. Despite only being an hour and a half, it's made to feel much longer due to something I seem to come across more and more in films as of late: characters singing entire songs, usually to themselves. I get that we're supposed to see how anguished the character is, but some of them just drag on and on and on, to the point where you couldn't care less what their feeling, you just want the scene to be over. A massive narrative problem the film has is establishing the leads hallucinations and detachment from reality early on. Rather than being a big reveal later on, it renders much of what happens in the story inconsequential, since you're constantly aware that what's taking place on screen likely isn't happening at all, undercutting almost all emotion. The only part that I found actually moving was the part where she says goodbye to her son with a smile on her face, a smile which quickly fades as she walks away. It makes me realises that the story would have been much more effective if played straight, and not full of artsy camera tricks. There's a romantic subplot thrown in that seems to exist only to give its writer and director an onscreen credit, and to waste more time of course. I know it has it's fans, including the friend who recommended it to me, but overall it felt way too flashy, too pretentious and too emotionally insubstantial to make me feel anything other than frustration and boredom.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
05/06/23
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William D
This film is a bit uneven. At times it's fascinating and at other times I just wanted them to get on with it. I decided to recommend it based on lead actress Cocco's performance. She's got a great voice too.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
04/01/23
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Audience Member
I think that japanese cinema has the ability to dig deep into emotions in a very special way. Sometimes we don't even need words, the eyes of the actors speak by themselves.
Great movie, great Cocco. I loved it!!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This is an ok movie that seemed to drag on at times. The concept is very good: a new mother who suffers from violently delusional episodes tries to manage her mental illness while caring for a newborn. After seeing how out it initially plays out its no wonder this singing mother loses her child (unfit mother). Then the movie takes a left turn as it begins to focus on a relationship she gets involved in. This is a weird relationship as it's extremely violent (both imagined and for real). Why the man chooses to stay in anyone's guess because as great as her singing is, it's not worth the violence. Its an emotional rollercoaster ride and a psychological thriller whose run time feels too long (even though it's only 1.5hrs).
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/15/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Really quite a confronting and, at times, hard to watch movie.
Kotoko is a single mother to a young son and quite mentally disturbed. As well as frequent violent fantasies involving horrible ways for her baby to die, she inflicts violence on others, in particular a novelist who falls in love with her, and she self harms herself.
Because of the nature of her mental illness, the viewer is never quite sure how much of this is actually happening,and how much is in Kotoko's head.
It is very effective from that end, as you feel the confusion and disorientation Kotoko herself must feel, but it's not easy viewing, not at all. Time jumps around and it's really hard to pity Kotoko too much, even though you do, because she's ill, but she just does such awful things... And, well...I guess mission accomplished with this one, as I'm sure this is how you are meant to feel. Really a movie to make you feel uneasy and struggle with your thoughts for days after.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Very interesting, very heavy, but oh so not very original.
Watch if you have nothing better to do.
6/10
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/30/23
Full Review
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