Village Review – Intriguing Setting, Collapses Slowly
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
So, the 2023 Japanese movie “Village” left me a little dazed and disappointed. It was a little like Stephen King’s “Carrie”, but with working adults and an old art form thrown in for cultural heft. Thanks to the film’s slow pace, I didn’t mind hitting the pause button to read more about “Noh,” the fascinating classical Japanese dance-drama art form that traces its origin back to the 14th century.
Written and directed by Michihito Fujii, “Village” stars Ryûsei Yokohama as the protagonist, Yu Katayama, who is trapped in his rural hamlet Kamonmura, working at a garbage disposal plant to pay off the debts of his alcoholic-gambling mother. He is bullied by everyone at work, treated like trash, and gets a rare chance to turn his life around when the new employee, Misaki Nakai (Haru Kuroki), suggests that he lead school tours for kids who come to visit the plant.
When Misaki’s character is first introduced in the film, she waves at Yu, and he has no idea who she is. As a viewer, I immediately jumped to the conclusion that she was perhaps his high school teacher. Almost until the end of “Village,” I assumed that Ryuto Sakuma’s character, Keiichi Nakai, was either her son or stepson. However, it turns out that Misaki and Yu are around the same age and used to learn “Noh” at the village temple together as kids. Due to this unfortunate initial age bias that had set in, the eventual romance between Misaki and Yu seemed painfully awkward.
The cinematography is actually great, largely due to the old-world charm of Yu’s remote village and “Noh,” at least when the story isn’t focused on the dirty, grimy disposal plant and the corrupt practices of those who run it. There’s the classic “city versus village” divide, the struggle to maintain cultural and heritage ties in the face of capitalistic vultures. The young Yu symbolizes both the best and worst of humanity—a man who cannot seem to escape the vicious cycle of poverty, violence, and helplessness. He is faced with the choice of either succumbing to his unfortunate circumstances or making sacrifices and joining the capitalistic cult of men who run everything. What will he choose?
Despite its interesting themes, the plot is too muddled, the pace painfully slow, and the second half needlessly builds mystery around an issue that is already too obvious. Instead, the filmmakers should have dealt with some of the “twists” in the story more directly, rather than hinting at them needlessly. Ryûsei Yokohama is brilliant in his portrayal of the tormented Yu, who undergoes a metamorphosis on screen, transforming from a pitiful man shunned by everybody to a charming, confident tour guide envied by his peers. However, the well-crafted performances cannot salvage the confusion of the script, making it difficult to recommend watching.
However, if slow, artsy existential films are your jam, you can stream the film on Netflix.
Also Read: School of Lies Review – Twisted & Sneaky
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