Confessions begins with a brilliant half hour sequence and (obviously enough,) a confession: teacher Yuko Moriguchi (Takako Matsu) is stepping down from her position as teacher. The rest of the sequence then details the circumstances leading to her decision, and the impact it has on her middle school class.
That's as far as I'll go regarding the plot of Confessions (Kokuhaku), Tetsuya Nakashima's award winning film. Having previously directed such films as the frenetic Kamikaze Girls (2004) and the fascinating Memories of Matsuko (2006), Nakashima uses his visual flair and storytelling skills in this adaptation of Kanae Minato's novel of the same name.
It's best to go into the film with no preconceptions of the plot, because the gradual way the plot unravels with every 'confession' is part of the movie's charm. The aforementioned opening sequence draws you in, and that's just the beginning of the whole thing. The rest of the movie deals with the consequences of Moriguchi's resignation and the culmination of the plot established so far, full of explosions and slow motion shots.
While Takako Matsu deserves most of the acting kudos for this film, most of the supporting cast, especially the child actors, deserve praise.
One probable nitpick against the movie would be that it makes things too stylized; in effect, the MTV-like style robbing the movie of its emotional heft. I wonder if the overall message and impact of the film would be different or as effective had it been presented in a more toned down, subdued manner.
Confessions reflects an ever growing divide and a sense of disconnection between Japan's adults and youth, though in this case viewers may have to wade through lots of visual and aural flair to get to the meat of the matter.
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