Nobody Knows

I don't usually like giving out 5-Star Ratings on here, well, unless the film really earns that, as by giving them that rating, I am essentially saying it is perfect, or as close to perfect as a film can get. Add on to that, the fact that I've already given out two 5-Star Ratings this week, and it becomes even harder for me to award them. Needless to say, this movie earns that rating, and honestly more. It wouldn't be hard pressed to say this is one of the most impactful, raw, sadly honest and greatest films I have ever seen. Few films have impacted me on such a visceral level before, and I reckon that few will hit on the same level as this in the future. The story is conveyed so naturally, as if it is happening live in front of our eyes. Nothing feels manufactured or heightened, it feels all so uncomfortably real. You know early on that this is going to be a punch to the gut and that it isn't going to get better, only worse. This is a film that comfortably roots itself in reality, warts and all. As things inevitably get more desperate, the tension doesn't shift, as ultimately, Nobody else Knows how bad it has gotten. Sure, the mum (and the dads) failed the kids, but what about the landlord, or Akira's 'friends', or the Japanese government as a whole are also to blame. And the title is arguably a misnomer, as clearly EVERYBODY KNOWS, but nobody cares. A great skill of Kore-Eda's is his ability to just show things as they are, and not build or add on it. It feels so simplistic, but it is a style I rarely see in films, and it works to make this more impactful. Another commendation goes towards the kids who are all incredible actors, and I'm impressed most of them didn't have a career at all afterwards. They feel like siblings/friends (in the case of Saki), and it all feels so uncomfortably real. I'm not sure if I'll ever watch this again, I feel like it will break me if I do, but God is this one of the greatest things I've ever seen. I usually wait a little before giving out a 5-Star Rating as I want to see how it impacts me in the following days, but there's no need, as this movie has been on my mind all day since. Though it is undeniably heavy, everyone should experience this.