Distance

Forget Dogma 95. This is real fiction. A stunning picture about a group of people touched by a tragedy: The killings of the Supreme Truth sect and their subsequent collective suicide. Amazing cinematography, superb acting. A must see film.

There's something special about humanist cinema, and without Hirokazu Koreeda it would be incomplete. Whether it be a dsyfunctional family (Shoplifters) or my personal favourite, choosing one special memory to have it replayed before your eyes (After Life), Koreeda taps into the soul of life.

Distance is no different. It is presented with lingering questions through the eyes of deceased cult member relatives - and like a jigsaw it trys to piece together the aftermath of the horrific tradegy. We get to know each different relationship that was affected by the cult; interesting as most stories focus more on the cult members and or cult leader themselves. In that regard it allows us to understand the cult structure more than simply seeing it as a brain washing machine.

With raw cinematography and the Koreeda special documentary style filmmaking, Distance shows us the truth that cult members saw, and the truth of their brothers, sisters, wifes and husbands. It is a film of contrast, but captures it perfectly.

Three years ago, a cult sabotaged the Tokyo water supply, poisoning thousands, before committing suicide en masse. On the anniversary of the attack, four family members of the cultists meet to remember their loved ones. Travelling to a secluded lake where their relatives' ashes were scattered, the four encounter a surviving member of the cult. Finding themselves stranded for the night, they take refuge in the cabin that was once the cult HQ, where their conversations reveal more than anyone expected.

Written and directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, 'Distance' is an intriguing, quietly moving film that speaks volumes about the human condition. Koreeda's characters are fully believable creations and their dialogue- quite a bit of which was improvised- is consistently fresh and authentic. Watching these people interact and learn more about one another is endlessly interesting, and their individual stories of grief are heart-rending. A profound, unaffected drama, 'Distance' is the very best of humanist cinema.

It is also a most suspenseful watch, due to the ambiguity surrounding the surviving cult member. We aren't sure of the character's agenda, nor of his past, and this creates much dramatic tension. Many are quick to criticize the ending, which raises more questions than it answers; though it's abstruseness arguably bolsters 'Distance's overall narrative impact. It is a film that keeps viewers thinking, and will no doubt linger in the mind long after the credits have rolled.

'Distance' reunited Koreeda with cinematographer Yutaka Yamazaki, whose raw camera-work keeps proceedings feeling off-the-cuff, or documental in nature. Whereas Yamazaki instilled their previous collaboration 'After Life' with a dreamy atmosphere, here he keeps things grounded; in keeping with the tone of realism running throughout the tale. Additionally, Keiko Mitsumatsu's production design- as well as Toshihiro Isomi's art direction- is understated and gritty, heightening the authenticity of the locales and the film in general.

'Distance' boasts a fine cast of talented actors performing at the top of their games. Arata Iura, Yusuke Iseya, Yui Natsukawa and Susumu Terajima star as the family members of the cultists, each delivering a masterclass in subtlety. They are all convincing, bringing an emotional weight and intelligence to their roles that doesn't go unnoticed. There isn't a poor performance in the film, and the cast all work wonderfully together. Terajima- who has appeared in six of Koreeda's projects to date- is particularly impressive, demonstrating the boundless depth, versatility and sensitivity that has endeared him to so many.

Tadanobu Asano also stars, doing a brilliant turn as the mysterious surviving cultist. A most versatile talent, Asano disappears into the role completely, intriguing throughout. You're never sure of his motivations, and his enigmatic performance will ensure your gaze is fixed his way anytime he's on screen.

A quietly powerful human-centered drama, Hirokazu Koreeda's 'Distance' is a tour-de-force in every regard. Subtly, smartly written, it contains no moments of sensationalism or spectacle, offering viewers a profound, poignant reflection of- and on- life. Featuring fine cinematography from Yutaka Yamazaki and assured production design from Keiko Mitsumatsu, 'Distance' is a visual treat as well as an intellectual one. Boasting fine performances from all in the cast, and featuring some brilliant improvisational dialogue; 'Distance' is one film you'd be hard pressed to forget.

Don't look here for answers to 9/11 or the Aum incident. Best tries for that would be read Haruki Murakami's "Underground" (Vintage International 2001) or see Shinji Aoyama's "Eureka." "Distance" has two significant sets. First is a dirt road through a skyless (camera doesn't look up) forest. A group connected in various ways with former Aum members, come to honor the tragedy but stranded by a car breakdown, take forever deciding whether to walk backward or forward. Suspense builds, a little like that around the host and guests unable to leave in Buñuel's "Exterminating Angel." The sole Aum vet among them (he got out before the serin) offers a third option, essentially go sideways (almost as if Buñuel's crowd had decided to walk out toward the camera or away from it through a wall), leading to the second significant set, a not quite barracks-like abandoned Aum building. Discussion there, centering on the building's dispersed inhabitants, reminds of the Aum member interviews in the second half of "Underground." The ending's ambiguous, so ambiguous that four months later, I can't remember it other than in images.

What I do recall is Director Kore-eda speaking after my screening. Though he'd been forthcoming throughout the rest of the Q and A, when two or three people challenged the ending he began excusing and apologizing, seeming to second-guess his edits. I'm not sure he should have apologized. Strictly in images, the film has a beginning, center, and end: the road in; the bright (even at night electrically and the bridge and lake that figure in one of the tales are more brightness) heart of darkness; the road out. Last thing I remember, though I'm not sure it was right at the end, is a bright, franchise-looking shop, one of the group running in to get something.

looking at SSTOCKER1's question and YAKUZA BENGOSHI's comments on the movie, I'd like to offer my take on Koreeda's great exercise of Dogma-style film-making. That said, I don't think it is necessary for us to "get" the story just by identifying the roles of the characters. For example, YAKUZA BENGHOSHI proposes that the mysterious arson/impostor is the son of the cult-leader. But is that a necessary assumption? Does he have to be the son of the leader to feel that kind of emotional attachment to the clan?

And aren't most members to cult-groups considered "children" to their respective leaders? (e.g. Guyana, Waco, and Serin gas attack in Japan)

The mysterious impostor (played by ARATA)was, if nothing else, at least the link to more than one of the dead members whose relatives joined him on this particular memorial outing. Remember, he is the childhood friend to one of the dead member's brother--medical student,as well as being a friend to the dead female member--Yuko, to whom he claims as his sister.

Could he be a recruiter who introduced the cult to 2 of the dead members (i.e. the lifeguard's brother, and the dead flower-shop girl)? What if he was also the one assigned to light the fire to which many of the cult members were killed by?

The scene by the river with our mystery man discussing his faith with Yuko seems to propose the idea that this WAS her introduction to the cult. Notice the scenes showing his use of photo-shop to paste himself into the girl's family photo, along with short clips of the mystery man burning photos in the back of the hut (in flash-back form) were both inserted thru-out the film. The consistent association with fire (i.e. the act of burning)could possibly imply his motive at the gathering as his way to rid his guilt for having to end his friends' lives... by helping the others find closure, he ends up resolving his own pain--having met the family of the dead, he finds relief & a way to move on.

Notice all the dead cult members in the story joined the clan b/c of being lost (e.g. loss of love or lack of self-worth)... that is, except for the lifeguard's brother who thought the clan offered a way for him to justify his existence and talent as a physician. The housewife felt abandoned by her husband, her companion lacked self-esteem... the flower-shop girl couldn't deal with her brother's suicide, and the teacher felt confined by the existing education system, thinking it hindered his good will and talent to benefit society, etc... Whereas we don't really know why Mr. Imposter became a member. He seemed to have been ambivalent to his purpose in life, and perhaps he felt the cult was the only place where he found a sense of purpose. We know he wanted to heal people, and we know he felt the cult was the answer and antidote to the others'pain.

so many questions to a great story that probably didn't warrant having to endure the first 20 minutes to the film (which showed the group getting lost in the woods)... but if you can survive the first 20 minutes, the rest is all worth the wait...

DISTANCE (2001) is not as good and entertaining a film as AFTERLIFE (1997), but Koreeda managed to show again how good stories don't need a huge budget, sets, and lots of CG gadgets to turn into a great piece of cinema.

can't wait to see his latest film - NOBODY KNOWS (2004)