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Monster Movie Review

Monster is a 2023 Japanese drama film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and starring Sakura Ando. It’s a familiar and flawed, but moving and very well made movie.

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“If only some people can have it, that’s not happiness.

That’s just nonsense. Happiness is something anyone can have“

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A single mother demands answers from a school teacher when her son begins acting strangely. A fight at school causes even more trouble. This is the director’s first Japanese film since his masterpiece ‘Shoplifters’. While it has its flaws, it’s another stellar effort from this filmmaker who’s always had a knack at dealing with human stories and the complexities of the human experience.

The highlight of the film is definitely the friendship that develops between the two boys that are at the center of the main conflict of the story. There is so much warmth and tenderness to be found in these smaller moments where the boys traversed the forest away from the prying eyes of annoying adults. These moments were truly magical as they showcased beautifully the power of childhood and friendship.

But there is a romantic tension between the boys, one that felt very reminiscent to Lukas Dhont’s superb drama ‘Close’. I preferred that movie to this one as it was tighter and unique while this one felt too familiar in that basic premise, but also more chaotic as it included numerous other perspectives in its storytelling approach.

Monster’s structure of different POVs was admirably conceived for sure, but its execution was far from perfect. Sakura Ando for instance was excellent in the first act, but her character was sidelined later down the line, which was frustrating as she was the best part of this acting ensemble without a doubt.

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Monster is wonderfully shot, very well directed and featuring excellent dialogue and a solid examination of its themes, depicting that not everything is ever as it seems, certainly not if you discount other perspectives. The film is immensely slow in its pace, thus it was far from engaging to watch, but it’s worth it for the sheer power of its moving and terrific third act.