I wanted to enjoy this movie a lot more than I eventually did. It has a beautiful score and a very gentle style of filmmaking. With limited dialogue, we follow our main character across his daily routine, seeing the subtle shifts in his emotions based on limited interactions with other characters. Conceptually, it is a very subdued approach with a potential to pack an emotional punch. In execution though, I found myself getting detached from the events at numerous points. Make no mistake, there are specific scenes where I was fully engaged, especially when it felt like we were going to get more about our protagonist's history. However, Wim Wenders often pulled back before actually giving us something substantial, instead leaving a lot to the viewer's imagination. Because of it, the movie feels like it could be brimming with depth, but to be honest, it never really gives us evidence of that depth. The characters are kept at an arm's distance, and this prevents the type of emotional connection and resonance that I prefer with movies. It also means that the ending feels abrupt because a lot of the side characters who have come in and out of the movie never really have their arcs resolved. I was impressed with the acting though, since all the communication happens through Koji Yakusho's face due to the limited dialogue.
Review by RG9400VIP 5BlockedParent2024-01-26T15:49:51Z
I wanted to enjoy this movie a lot more than I eventually did. It has a beautiful score and a very gentle style of filmmaking. With limited dialogue, we follow our main character across his daily routine, seeing the subtle shifts in his emotions based on limited interactions with other characters. Conceptually, it is a very subdued approach with a potential to pack an emotional punch. In execution though, I found myself getting detached from the events at numerous points. Make no mistake, there are specific scenes where I was fully engaged, especially when it felt like we were going to get more about our protagonist's history. However, Wim Wenders often pulled back before actually giving us something substantial, instead leaving a lot to the viewer's imagination. Because of it, the movie feels like it could be brimming with depth, but to be honest, it never really gives us evidence of that depth. The characters are kept at an arm's distance, and this prevents the type of emotional connection and resonance that I prefer with movies. It also means that the ending feels abrupt because a lot of the side characters who have come in and out of the movie never really have their arcs resolved. I was impressed with the acting though, since all the communication happens through Koji Yakusho's face due to the limited dialogue.