Himizu (5 Stars)

When I bought this film I knew nothing about it. I hadn't seen a trailer or read a review. Nobody had recommended it to me. I didn't know whether it was a horror film, a gangster film or any other genre. I didn't even know what the Japanese title means. So why did I buy it? Simple. I knew it was directed by Sion Sono, so it had to be good.

There are three directors whose films I buy unconditionally: Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch and Sion Sono. Apart from that there are a few directors of whom I buy most of their films, such as Andreas Dresen, Fred Olen Ray and Jim Wynorski. As far as actors go, I buy all films starring Leelee Sobieski and Jennifer Love Hewitt. I buy Leelee's films because she's a brilliant actress who never fails to amaze me, and I buy Jennifer's films because I have a crush on her and enjoy looking at her. I'll also buy any film written by Charlie Kaufman, because his stories blow my mind.

A problem I have with Sion Sono is that not all of his films have been released in England or America. Fortunately he seems to be more popular in Germany, so most of his films are available with German dubbing, which I have no trouble understanding. But there are still a few of his films that I haven't been able to buy in English or German.

The film is a tale of morality about a 14-year-old boy called Sumida. As a Japanese teenager things aren't easy. Christians, Jews and Moslems have an omnipotent God who dictates what is right and wrong. The Japanese Gods aren't omnipotent, so the Japanese have to find their own path. The film takes place shortly after the Japanese tsunami of March 11th 2011. Sumida lives in a small one-room house by a lake, while his less fortunate neighbours live in tents and makeshift huts. His mother and father have deserted him, so he drops out of school to continue the family business of renting boats. Unfortunately his father took out a loan from the Japanese mob (Yakuza) before he disappeared, so mobsters come to Sumida trying to get money from him. Sumida buys a knife, paints his face and walks the streets of Tokyo, trying to do good by killing those who he thinks deserve to die. The question that we, as viewers, have to ask is whether this is enough to make him a good person.

This is a lusciously told, deeply moving story. The ugliness of the city and the people who live in it contrast with the kind hearts of Sumida's neighbours who have been left with nothing. In fact, everyone around Sumida looks up to him and wants to help him, as if they recognise the light that shines from his soul despite his many mistakes. Sumida's classmate Keiko loves him, even though he hits her whenever she tries to get close to him. The film is magnificent from beginning to end.

I found out after watching the film that it's based on a comic book series called "Himizu". I read a few issues online and see the similarity, especially where the moral issues are concerned, but Sion Sono has gone in his own direction and made it his own story.

By the way, "himizu" is the Japanese word for "mole".