On the last day of the school term, a teacher at the Junior High School tells her apparently disinterested class about the value of life. Gradually, she draws the attention of her class when she declares that she is resigning the same day and further confesses that her 3 year old daughter who died, a few months ago, by drowning in the school swimming pool did not die by accident. The class is stunned by the time she declares that she now knows that two of the students in the class (referred by her as A & B) were indeed responsible for the death. She also expresses her anguish that she cannot register a complaint with the authorities because the law does not hold anyone below 14 as responsible for their actions and accordingly, cannot be punished for whatever they do. However, she states that, irrespective of the law, she is determined to punish the culprits.
Thus begins this psycho thriller wherein the teacher adopts a twisted way to avenge her daughter. The events surrounding the death and the teacher's punishment unfold through a series of confessions of the students who recount the happenings. The narrative style may remind us of Rashomon which also used multiple accounts to reconstruct a set of events. However, unlike Rashomon where each account narrated a different version of the events, here it is a singular version which is narrated from the perspectives of the individual confessor.
Although the movie succeeds as an effective thriller, one does not particularly feel much for any of the characters. The characters appear to be emotionally bereft and also guilty of harbouring dark motives (not that dark/grey characters can never evoke feelings). This movie was Japan's entry for 2010 Academy Awards and was also shortlisted a final nominee. The entire movie is picturised in a sombre tone though a scene towards the end where an explosion is captured in reverse slo-mo stood out for its magnificence.
A VERY GOOD WATCH !!
Thus begins this psycho thriller wherein the teacher adopts a twisted way to avenge her daughter. The events surrounding the death and the teacher's punishment unfold through a series of confessions of the students who recount the happenings. The narrative style may remind us of Rashomon which also used multiple accounts to reconstruct a set of events. However, unlike Rashomon where each account narrated a different version of the events, here it is a singular version which is narrated from the perspectives of the individual confessor.
Although the movie succeeds as an effective thriller, one does not particularly feel much for any of the characters. The characters appear to be emotionally bereft and also guilty of harbouring dark motives (not that dark/grey characters can never evoke feelings). This movie was Japan's entry for 2010 Academy Awards and was also shortlisted a final nominee. The entire movie is picturised in a sombre tone though a scene towards the end where an explosion is captured in reverse slo-mo stood out for its magnificence.
A VERY GOOD WATCH !!
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