Oct 31, 2024 7:30 pm | Japan | 2023 | 127m | Cert 12A | Drama, Thriller
Mysterious and deeply moving, MONSTER is a breathtaking piece of cinema from master
director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Broker, Shoplifters).
When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, single mother Saori knows that there
is something wrong. Discovering that one of his teachers might be responsible, she storms
into the school demanding answers. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother,
teacher and child, shocking truths begin to emerge.
A timely tale of family, false impressions, and, ultimately, hope, Kore-eda’s typically sensitive
work features powerful performances by Ando Sakura, Tanaka Yuko and Nagayama Eita,
and a sublime score from the Oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto
… Clarity gradually arrives and the film, like all Kore-eda’s best work, submerges itself in heartfelt humanism and quiet understanding.
Kevin Maher, Times (UK()