| Being sick in Japan far, far
from your family is not very fun, but at least
it gives me yet another excuse to watch more Japanese
movies. Thus, between munching innocuous victuals
and popping vitamins, I sat and watched the suspense
film The Thirteen Steps to relax. However,
and what I didn't expect—this is not a relaxing
movie. It may be relatively slow-paced and doesn't
feature much for gunshots or action scenes, but
here is a plot that slowly sinks into you, offering
some of the fine and some of the arguably worst
aspects of Japanese cinema today.
Mikami (played by Takashi Sorimachi,
the dude who took the role of the eponymous Onizuka
in the live-action adaptation of the manga, GTO)
is a man riddled with guilt and self-hatred. After
accidentally killing a man in a bar and then spending
three years in sing-sing, he is reintroduced into
a world and to a family that does not accept him.
However, a man, Shoji Nango (Tsutomu Yamazaki,
whom I have seen as the lead in the gentle comedy-drama
Ososhiki from 1984) who works for the Tokyo
Detention Center comes calling to ask him to help
absolve a man from the murder of two old folks—a
murder that took place ten years previous. Nango
has mysterious motives, but Mikami, with nothing
to lose and a lot of money to gain, accepts, not
knowing the deception, intrigue, and emotional
purging that will soon be coming his way.
The Thirteen Steps grips
the viewer like a wrench and keeps the twists
coming, leaving multiple, tantalizing questions
hanging in the air at all times—at least
until the end. It's a beautiful way to keep the
viewer interested, and it also helps distract
from the prolific illogical and impossible bits
in the story. This story, however, was never trying
to be realistic. This is more of a message movie,
probing the depths of guilt about and atonement
for taking the life of a fellow human being. The
story is always grappling with those issues, and
the characters are likable and acted well enough
that it is easy to be right there with them. Yamazaki
as Nango is gruff and deeply hurt, and it shows
on his character. Sorimachi also displays Mikami's
grievous self-hatred well, most effectively when
he is not speaking as he hesitantly, self-deprecatingly
moves through life. It's also good to see Rena
Tanaka (Drugstore Girl, Nin
X Nin: The Ninja Star Hattori) in a small
part as Nango's daughter.
The story is, however, manipulative
of the viewer as it reaches for and hammers home
its message of the sanctity of human life. Japanese
films, when they have a message to make, sometimes
have a predictable way of getting the message
across—that is, by coming right out and
saying it in as direct a way as possible. This
is one of those films, and it can be obnoxious.
While I don't necessarily agree with all the views
of the film, the storytelling was effective enough
to move me to tears—which may have also
had something to do with my headache… but
I digress. I found myself embracing the story
even through its flaws, and even despite the overly
sentimental, far-too-nicely-packaged ending.
Music is usually dominated by slow,
melodic piano and violin pieces that carry the
viewer through the intense emotions of the film.
Occasionally more driving themes are implemented
during scenes of violence that kick the tension
up a few notches. I have no complaints about it,
really. It may not be extremely memorable, but
it supports the film well.
The Thirteen Steps is not
a great movie, and the implausibilities are numerous
enough to distract the discerning viewer. For
me, though, once again I was impressed by the
Japanese suspense film. Recommended if you're
a fan of the genre.
|
(3/5)