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Akarui Mirai (2003)

Drama | 115 minutes
3,45 109 votes

Genre: Drama

Duration: 115 minuten

Alternative titles: Bright Future / アカルイミライ

Country: Japan

Directed by: Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Tatsuya Fuji and Tatsuya Fuji

IMDb score: 6,7 (3.230)

Releasedate: 18 January 2003

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Akarui Mirai plot

The energetic Mamoru lives alone with his poisonous, luminescent jellyfish. Both lead a lonely existence and rebel against anyone who threatens to come near them. Yuji, an emotionally unstable man, works with him in a factory and becomes fascinated by him. When Mamoru is arrested for the murder of his boss, Yuji takes care of his jellyfish. He also befriends Mamoru's father and slowly opens his eyes to reality.

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avatar van sinterklaas

sinterklaas

  • 11813 messages
  • 3316 votes

Kurosawa delivered another fascinating piece here. It is now abundantly clear that the man is at home in all markets and genres. With Bright Future he enters a bit of Lynch mode.

Two strong roles: Tadanobu Asano as a stubborn young man Mamoru and Joe Odagiri as a clumsy colleague Yuji. Together they endure endless bored daily schedules in folding laundry during the week and regularly hang out with each other in their free time. Yuji has an obsession with Mamoru's luminescent poisonous jellyfish, which eventually asks to babysit him as he is going abroad. However, Yuji gets involved in a bizarre situation. If he wants to teach his boss a lesson, Mamoru seems to have preceded him. The care of the jellyfish is now necessary because Mamoru is in jail.

Bright Future ripples on through the playing time. From the prison visits to the meeting between Yuji and Mamoru's gullible father. Together they try to come up with a solution for Mamoru. but should they confront: Mamoru is just a killer. Point.

And this often creates uncomfortable scenes, but also fascinating pictures. It's not really clear what the glowing jellyfish adds as a metaphor, but the scene with that river full of glowing jellyfish.

Special work again by Kurosawa. Dark, slow burn, but sometimes quite a mindfuck where you have to leave your head.

4.0*

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original

avatar van ZAP!

ZAP!

  • 5448 messages
  • 3621 votes

Watched this one again. Some shots, often those 'grainy ones', I don't really know what to do with them. But it also contains beautiful image compositions, often more towards the end. The separate story fascinated me very much, but I find it a bit less how Kurosawa puts an end to it. Too flashy the jellyfish are connected with that youth, in my opinion. I can't really figure out what he wants to say with it, or what the message of the film is. It seems positive, but the moment Mamoru's father just picks up a jellyfish and sticks it in the air, I don't think it fits with his otherwise thoughtful nature. And I still find it strange that Nimura stands with his nose on top and does nothing. But it also stimulates me to watch the film again, because all in all I did enjoy it.

I even throw in half. And let's see if I can't find more of Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original

avatar van Onderhond

Onderhond

  • 87585 messages
  • 12834 votes

Nice review.

I didn't remember very much about this film, but I did remember the DV core and that it was a rather strange drama. I was a little surprised that the film was a lot more stylized than I remembered, of course that was a very nice stroke of luck.

I also noticed the grittier edge, especially since you don't see that very often in Japanese dramas these days. It has all become a bit more gentle and light-hearted, with characters that are a bit easier to understand. Bright Future is more challenging (and therefore better) in that area.

The first third is fairly straightforward, after that the structure loosens up a bit. But strong acting, captivating characters, fine cinematography, an interesting soundtrack and some slightly magical touches make this a compelling film, and one of Kurosawa's best.

4.0* and a extensive review

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original