Izuru Narashima came up with one of the best films of the previous decade in “Rebirth”, and although he did not reach the same level in the next years, his works were always decent, to say the least. His latest work is adapted by the homonymous novel by Sonoko Machida, and the title refers to a species of whales which makes sound at 52 hertz, which is too high to be heard by other whales.
52-Hertz Whales is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival
The story unfolds through many back and forths, with the present finding the protagonist, Kiko Mishima in the small seaside town in Oita, living in her grandmother's house, who was a geisha, and inciting much gossip among the locals. While there, she comes across a boy that is the victim of abuse by his mother, Kotomi, a local waitress who seems to really despise him. His story reminds her of her own.
As a child she was abused by her violent mother, while during adulthood, she was forced to take care of her bed-ridden father, while suffering the same levels of domestic violence. Miharu, an old friend, and a friend of hers, Ango, sympathize with her situation and decide to help her, with them gradually taking her away from her mother and problematic family, and assisting her in starting to live as a proper person. Eventually, she starts dating the son of the boss of the company she works in, Chikara, but the happiness she expected never actually comes. As the story moves back and forth, more and more secrets about everyone involved are revealed.
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The first thing that becomes evident here, and more and more actually as the film progresses, is that the story is great. It is not just the reasons Kiko ended up in Oita connected with the abused boy, but her whole past and the people that surrounded her that are equally intriguing. The abusive mother, the friends who help her in all their power, the antagonism between Ango and Chikara and the way it affected both them and Kiko, and the story of the boy she finds in Oita, are all filled with twists and revelations, essentially retaining interest from beginning to almost the end of the movie. The concept of loneliness and how it can be overcome by interacting with others, even if this essentially means finding other people who feel the same, cements the rich context here.
Furthermore, the comments that derive from the story are also rather interesting. The concept of domestic abuse and its consequences, the way parents do not really know their children, nepotism and the issues people from rather rich families face, and the value of friendship are all highlighted throughout the movie, resulting in a rather layered narrative. At the same time, the flashbacks are well placed within the story, which is told in ideal fashion.
Lastly, Hana Sugisaki as Kiko is quite good in the role, showcasing her transformations convincingly, while her charisma and beauty fill the screen every time she appears in it.
At the same time, though, there are also many issues with the movie. The regular issues of Japanese films lately are all here for example, with Narashima not being sure where to end the film, prolonging it for no reason close to the finale, through a number of scenes that could be briefer or not there at all. Of course, there is a scene by the sea somewhere there, but at least this time, there is a point in this, considering the title and the setting.
Furthermore, the cinematography by Daisuke Soma is too polished and bright on occasion, particularly considering the main theme here. The movie would definitely benefit from some more star quality, since the majority of the rest of the performances are subpar. Particularly Jun Shison as Ango, although convincing to a point, really messes up his big scenes, while Hio Miyazawa as Chikara is definitely not believable as the abusive/abused rich man.
As such, in the end, “52-Hertz Whale” emerges as a mixed bag, since the story is definitely captivating, but its presentation problematic on a number of levels, with the whole thing emerging as more of a missed opportunity than anything else.
