I came across a poster of this movie on yahoo auctions and I thought I am pretty sure I watched this movie. Searched on my blog a few times to make sure. I vaguely remember watching it but for some reason I never got around to reviewing it. After watching Akunin, I have no idea why I did not do that straight away because it is one of the most unforgettable jmovies I have ever seen.
Tsumabuki Satoshi is this blue collar worker Yuichi who lives near Nagasaki and takes care of his grandparents. His only hobby is his car and he meets Yoshino played Mitsushima Hikari who lives in Fukuoka and he drives all the way down from Nagasaki to meet her.
Yoshino who is in insurance sales is a bit of a bimbo and she is playing Yuichi while having her eyes on Masuo, this rich student whose parents run a high class ryokan. Mitsushima Hikari is supposed to meet Yuichi but ditches him when she accidentally runs into Masuo and gets into his car. The next day Mitsushima Hikari is dead and Masuo is on the run.
It is hard to talk about Akunin without spoilers. Akunin is a movie about loneliness and what desperate lengths people will to to find something to live for and what lengths people will go to for the ones they live for. Acting is superb especially Fukatsu Eri as the suites saleslady who gets involved with Yuichi. I won't say its a must watch but if you want a serious and dark movie that pulls no punches, then Akunin is for you. You won't be feeling happy after watching this movie.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The obvious spoiler is that Yuichi is the villain. As Fukatsu Eri says at the end of the movie, Yuichi killed someone and must be a bad person. The movie shows that it is not so simple because he takes care of his grandparents and his loneliness and naiveness allowed him to be played by Mitsushima Hikari and it was when she threatens to accuse him of rape that Yuichi loses it.
Does it excuse what Yuichi did? No. As the movie shows us, Yoshino has parents who deeply care for her and she may be a bitch but she did not deserve to die. I think Yuichi ultimately did it because he had nothing to lose and he found Fukatsu Eri too late. The question is was he really trying to choke her to death in the end or was he trying to get her to leave him?
SUMMARY
One of the most memorable and well acted jmovies I have seen. A must watch in my book but only for fans of dark and depressing jmovies. The raw is available from dramahd and I got the subs from avistaz.
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