Review: Kokuhaku
The first 30 minutes was gripping stuff. Though it seemed longer than it was. Those first 30 minutes had everything the rest of the film strives for. As the teacher recounts her horrific tale, the vacant students begin to pay attention. The tonal shifts that follow are so dramatic at times, it's hard to rally connect, with anything or anyone. The teacher delivers her story with such flippancy that it's hard to tell if this is real. Nakashima's style suits the happy-go-lucky type films he's used to, but here the slow motion is gorgeous but intrusive. Representing something so complex as a series of vignettes results in a patchy and grim effort. It builds towards a climax that seems very out of place, due to the distance kept between us and the characters. No doubt a brave and different film, but one where some focused storytelling could have really helped.