Written and directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, based on the manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, popular, outgoing Fujino is celebrated by her classmates for her funny comics in the class newspaper. One day, her teacher asks her to share the space with Kyomoto, a truant recluse whose beautiful artwork sparks a competitive fervour in Fujino. Starring: Natsuki Deguchi, Aju Makita, Fuuri Nanase, Rokka Okada, Masaki Suda, Kankuro Kudo, Kayo Noro, Ryo Ikeda, Miyu Sasaki and Maho Yamada.
Capturing the meaningful friendships made at such an incredibly formative age can be a beautiful thing and it certainly is when it’s done by Hirokazu Koreeda. There are not a lot of filmmakers like Koreeda who can make a story truly feel like it comes from a child’s perspective, it requires such a considered, gentle, sensitive hand and those are all things he excels at. Look Back is another great example of those skills, his style is so gorgeously natural. Some may struggle with its slower pace, but it’s a lovely choice to really make this film feel as organic as possible, and to do justice to the friendship between Fujino (younger: Fuuri Nanase, older: Natsuki Deguchi) and Kyomoto (younger: Rokka Okada, older: Aju Makita).
The bond created between the two of them is so lovingly reflected in the tone and style of Look Back, it’s sweet and tender, and filled with an abundant spirit, a playfulness, passion and youth. It has that dreamer personality, and the cinematography from Senzo Ueno particularly captures the quintessential Japanese appreciation for nature. Adding in some beautiful landscapes and not shying away from taking that step back, while never breaking its intimacy. All of those terrifically wholesome, humble qualities then make it able to strike its emotional notes even harder. Adding in an animated sequence was a lovely touch, it’s very well done and incredibly heartfelt.
Qualities that you also certainly find in the performances from Natsuki Deguchi, Aju Makita, Fuuri Nanase and Rokka Okada. Firstly, the way that Look Back seamlessly moves from one age to the next, fast-forwarding through their lives, is impressive and a big part of that is due to the complementary qualities to the older and younger portrayals. They don’t skip a beat, both duos capture the charming, dedicated personalities to these characters. They’re effortless to watch in how kind, creative and sincere they are, and the friendship between them is genuinely moving to watch.
Look Back holds a superbly simple, wholesome atmosphere, it moves in a beautifully natural, tender way. It’s shot with a compassionate eye and brings through so many wonderful landscapes which greatly complement the intimacy of the film, and allow it to craft a sincere emotional weight, while also being youthful, playful, excitable and sweet. All of the performances are excellent, Hirokazu Koreeda again demonstrates his remarkably humble style. It’s a truly touching film which captures the power of friendship in our formative years, as well as how each of our choices can set us down different paths.
