Daremo shiranai (Nobody Knows) Writer/Director Hirokazu Koreeda's "Dare me shiranai" is slow-paced and exceptionally well done. It's a very engrossing piece that doesn't shy away from the reality of life. This film contains genuine moments of frustration for the central characters and for the audience too. It's an examination of what happens when a Japanese mother, who was never ready to be a mother, abandons her four children.
Keiko (Yukiko Ehara, who goes by the stage name of You) is the mother. Sounding like a child herself and acting like one, Keiko still clings desperately to her youth and more importantly that feeling of never having to grow up. As a parent she is carefree, never raising her voice or striking her children. She doesn't take anything too seriously except for meeting new men, whom she likes to attach to and be pampered by. Being with the men helps her to forget about the 4 mouths to feed that are waiting at home. As she continues to meet new men she begins to spend more time with them taking increasing longer trips far away from her new apartment and her children. But she always leaves them money to survive on and forcing her eldest son, Akira (Yûya Yagira), to become the new parent of the home even though he is only 12.
Akira is the really interesting character to watch because he is at a point in his life where he is being burdened with not only the responsibility for his three younger siblings but also growing up himself. For the most part he is a very, very responsible young man that would make any level-headed parent proud beyond words. But there's only so much of that responsibility that he can fulfill before his own childish ways catch up with him.
When Keiko leaves for her latest trip she just doesn't return. The money that she leaves behind lasts for a while but like the hope of her return, it soon dwindles away and the harsh reality begins to settle in. These kids are alone.
I found that this film reminded me a little of Bin-jip (3-Iron) the Korean offering from director Ki-Duk Kim; mainly in terms of examining a life of poverty. The children in Koreeda's film become resourceful as they lose electricity, then water. But what they go through as the situation continues on is just heartbreaking to watch.
Koreeda let's his camera do most of the talking in the piece. The lens captures the slow passage of time with an equal lingering eye. There is not much to do during the hours of the day to stimulate the young minds that have been left to their own devices. They tend to plants that they grow out of used noodle containers, since they don't have a garden. They peruse the streets checking vending machines for loose change to supplement their lack of income. They even befriend some of the other locals in the area who give them a helping hand as best as they can, depending on the day of the week. Therein lies the beauty of the piece, that these kids are able to survive as long as they do is a marvel and it keeps the viewer engaged; interested to find out how it's all going to end.
Now, the ending of the film doesn't give you a really great sense of closure and this time it doesn't feel like a cheap shot to be vague and artistic on the director's behalf. Before the film started, you didn't know these characters or their plight. Then as you watch you are introduced to them and you are invited into the world. By the end, it's like the viewer has reluctantly gotten off this train and is watching it take off for another unknown destination. It's a deliberate choice to keep your mind working on the notion of the film and it is successful because who doesn't want everything to be alright for these kids? For me, personally, it angered me to think that there could be a mother so careless that she would put herself before her children in such a selfish fashion.
It's accepted that once you have a child you have to stop living for yourself and that your life should be about your offspring, if you're lucky enough to have them. There are times when the kids need help, desperately and the authorities should have been called in order to give them something that resembles a normal family life. But these children only want each other, they've gotten the help of the authorities in the past, Akira reflects at one point in the film to a new friend, but the outcome was a nightmare. The kids need each other more than they need their mother because it is the connection with siblings that gives each of them the support that any person deserves from family. Each child has a different father not in the picture at all and their one mother whose attendance is spotty at best.
Is it any wonder why they don't want to call the authorities even when things become really bleak?
Keiko (Yukiko Ehara, who goes by the stage name of You) is the mother. Sounding like a child herself and acting like one, Keiko still clings desperately to her youth and more importantly that feeling of never having to grow up. As a parent she is carefree, never raising her voice or striking her children. She doesn't take anything too seriously except for meeting new men, whom she likes to attach to and be pampered by. Being with the men helps her to forget about the 4 mouths to feed that are waiting at home. As she continues to meet new men she begins to spend more time with them taking increasing longer trips far away from her new apartment and her children. But she always leaves them money to survive on and forcing her eldest son, Akira (Yûya Yagira), to become the new parent of the home even though he is only 12.
Akira is the really interesting character to watch because he is at a point in his life where he is being burdened with not only the responsibility for his three younger siblings but also growing up himself. For the most part he is a very, very responsible young man that would make any level-headed parent proud beyond words. But there's only so much of that responsibility that he can fulfill before his own childish ways catch up with him.
When Keiko leaves for her latest trip she just doesn't return. The money that she leaves behind lasts for a while but like the hope of her return, it soon dwindles away and the harsh reality begins to settle in. These kids are alone.
I found that this film reminded me a little of Bin-jip (3-Iron) the Korean offering from director Ki-Duk Kim; mainly in terms of examining a life of poverty. The children in Koreeda's film become resourceful as they lose electricity, then water. But what they go through as the situation continues on is just heartbreaking to watch.
Koreeda let's his camera do most of the talking in the piece. The lens captures the slow passage of time with an equal lingering eye. There is not much to do during the hours of the day to stimulate the young minds that have been left to their own devices. They tend to plants that they grow out of used noodle containers, since they don't have a garden. They peruse the streets checking vending machines for loose change to supplement their lack of income. They even befriend some of the other locals in the area who give them a helping hand as best as they can, depending on the day of the week. Therein lies the beauty of the piece, that these kids are able to survive as long as they do is a marvel and it keeps the viewer engaged; interested to find out how it's all going to end.
Now, the ending of the film doesn't give you a really great sense of closure and this time it doesn't feel like a cheap shot to be vague and artistic on the director's behalf. Before the film started, you didn't know these characters or their plight. Then as you watch you are introduced to them and you are invited into the world. By the end, it's like the viewer has reluctantly gotten off this train and is watching it take off for another unknown destination. It's a deliberate choice to keep your mind working on the notion of the film and it is successful because who doesn't want everything to be alright for these kids? For me, personally, it angered me to think that there could be a mother so careless that she would put herself before her children in such a selfish fashion.
It's accepted that once you have a child you have to stop living for yourself and that your life should be about your offspring, if you're lucky enough to have them. There are times when the kids need help, desperately and the authorities should have been called in order to give them something that resembles a normal family life. But these children only want each other, they've gotten the help of the authorities in the past, Akira reflects at one point in the film to a new friend, but the outcome was a nightmare. The kids need each other more than they need their mother because it is the connection with siblings that gives each of them the support that any person deserves from family. Each child has a different father not in the picture at all and their one mother whose attendance is spotty at best.
Is it any wonder why they don't want to call the authorities even when things become really bleak?