Kazuaki Nagaya has established his talent as an actor with a unique resume, appearing in movies like “One Cut of the Dead” and “Mio on the Shore.” Now, he makes his directorial debut with his feature film, “Mending Cracks,” which he also stars in. It is a movie that is experimental and directed in the fashion of classic mise-en-scène staging. The filmmaking passion is ever so present, though the final product is particularly underwhelming.
Mending Cracks is screening at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival
Mamoru works as a kintsugi craftsman, following in the footsteps of his late father. His younger brother, Miki, pays a visit to partake in the family's year-end house cleaning. In stark contrast to his older sibling, he is completely unmotivated, lazily wasting his time while drowning in despair and envying the success of Mamoru. They harbor ill feelings for each other, and neither can be honest about those thoughts with themselves or others. Eventually, the brothers express their inner frustrations for one another, exploring their complicated sibling relationship.
Brothers exploring their flawed relationship is familiar, but nevertheless a premise that makes for a potentially compelling movie. Familiarity isn't automatically a bad thing so long as the execution lands. Plus, a simple story can be remarkable, many filmmakers have acomplished mastering simplicity while exploring engaging themes. The movie starts out strong with a calm sequence depicting Mamoru's daily routine. So beyond that point, why is “Mending Cracks” unsuccessful in drawing viewers into its narrative?
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If there's a glaring issue with “Mending Cracks,” it is how blandly choreographed its narrative feels, with no sense of realism. Most of the movie plays out as a series of events without strong direction and writing to make these moments worth investing. Occasionally, symbolism is interjected to represent the inner conflict of the brothers, such as the kintsugi being reflective of their relationship. However, the characters are too bland for these themes to come to life truly, and as a result, the drama feels forced. It's as if the movie asks viewers to care about what's happening without giving much substance to become invested in these people's lives. Plus, while the opening establishes an atmosphere, it quickly dwindles and becomes bizarrely cold for the remainder of its runtime. It is quite bizarre for a story intended to ignite an emotional response from the audience.
Most of the acting is painfully wooden, feeling less like distant people troubled by inner conflicts and more a less just people awkwardly delivering their lines. Kazuaki Nagaya is a talented actor but unsuccessful in making Mamoru feel real. The same can also be said for Hisao Kurozumi, who plays the younger brother, Miki. Further hurting this is their weak chemistry, which makes any intended scenes of family drama fall short. Other actors who appear, like Go Kikuchi, Yuki Yamamoto, Miyuki Fukuda, and Shinichiro Osawa, are unremarkable here.
Certainly, a major positive is the set design and camerawork. Kazuaki Nagaya has an eye for adding personality to a location, some notable examples being Mamoru's workplace and the bar the two brothers frequent. It is also nice to see admiration for classic film staging, such as simple shots with minimal camera movement and long takes. Yet, the editing is a different story. It could be much better, coming off amateurish sometimes, particularly the scene transitions and the sound design at points.
Kazuaki Nagaya's admiration for filmmaking is clear as day, but “Mending Cracks” falls short of giving audiences a reason to be invested in the film's content. The potential is established with its central theme of siblings trying to repair a damaged relationship. Yet, its characters are too dull, and its script is too hollow to truly feel the intended emotions.
