Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • 3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)
    • 3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)
    • 3625. Ode To Joy (2019)
    • 3624. One Chance (2013)
    • 3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)
    • 3622. The Polka King (2017)
    • 3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)
    • 3620. Friendzone (2021)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»2552. River’s Edge (リバーズエッジ) (2018)

    2552. River’s Edge (リバーズエッジ) (2018)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on May 14, 2019 110-119 mins, 2018, 6 - 7.9, Crime, Drama, Japan, May 19, Movies Of 2019, Review
    7.7 Really striking
    • Acting 8.0
    • Directing 7.8
    • Story 7.4
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Fumi Nikaidô, Ryo Yoshizawa, Shuhei Uesugi

    Director: Isao Yukisada

    Running Time: 118 mins


    River’s Edge is a Japanese film about the tumultuous period in the lives of a group of high school students, all living around the mystery and tension surrounding a dead body that washed up on the side of the river.

    With a striking and very modern style that’s highly reminiscent of American independent film, River’s Edge is an enthralling and unsettling watch throughout, combining the troubles of high school students with a darker atmosphere that creates brilliant uneasiness and unpredictability. Furthered by a fantastic lead turn from Fumi Nikaidô, the film grabs you right the way through, and even though it may takes things a little too far at times, it’s a hugely riveting watch nonetheless.

    Let’s start off with that style, though. If you know modern Japanese cinema, then you’ll know that this darker indie vibe isn’t anything entirely out of the ordinary. However, the reason that this film is so much more striking than most Japanese indie fare is because of how it uses the style and techniques seen more commonly in American indie cinema, and by blending that with a story that’s more Japanese, it makes for a really fascinating and even surprising watch.

    When I say American indie style, the film’s old-school aspect ratio is reminiscent of any movie out of A24’s copybook (First Reformed, Mid90s, A Ghost Story etc.), while its combination of dark and/or dim lighting with static, long-held camerawork is something that you really don’t see to the same extent in more native Japanese independent films. The two styles may share characteristics here and there, but this is the first film I’ve seen that really puts them together, which is what makes River’s Edge just so striking.

    Of course, we can’t be talking about all style over substance, so I’m glad to say that there is some good depth and intrigue to the story here as well. The visuals and indie style are definitely what makes the film so striking and engrossing from the start, and director Isao Yukisada does a great job to use that to give the movie an unsettling atmosphere, but the story too has a lot to focus on.

    Now, as I said earlier, this film’s story and premise is a lot heavier on the Japanese style of things than the American. That’s not only because it’s set in a high school (there are few countries that make more high school movies than Japan), but also because of its smaller-scale nature, focusing on the struggles of a few individuals, without then taking the story to a wider social context, as many American films would.

    That’s not to say that River’s Edge has no social conscience, and its portrayals of teenage depression, eating disorders, bullying, harrassment and more are all particularly striking, but in the context of the film in and of itself, the problems are contained almost entirely to the people who suffer from them.

    In that, the emotional turmoil and frustration that grows and grows throughout is even more palpable, with each of the characters on the verge of blowing at different points of the story, and although I must say that the screenplay takes things a little too far beyond the initially grounded story in the final act, it’s certainly an engrossing and often even genuinely powerful plot to follow throughout.

    And then finally, we come to the performances, which are excellent across the board, with the five or six key leads all putting in emotionally striking and still grounded and relatable turns. They all work brilliantly together with their complex web of relationships, but the one who stands out above all else has to be Fumi Nikaidô.

    She plays Haruna, arguably the most level-headed and relaxed of the group of characters in turmoil, and her performance, while still dramatically riveting and emotionally enthralling, is a brilliant island of pure calm and assurance in the middle of an increasingly tumultuous (and even insane) sea of teenage drama.

    They always say that the best form of acting is not to act at all, but Nikaidô brilliantly walks the line between a simple, level-headed character and one that fits in well with some of the more hyperbolic drama surrounding her, a balance that’s really difficult to achieve, yet works wonders when it comes together, and as such she proves an absolutely fantastic lead to follow throughout.

    Overall, I was really quite impressed with River’s Edge. A stylistically striking film that combines modern American indie techniques with the best form of contemporary Japanese storytelling, it grabs you from the first moment with its unsettling and dark atmosphere, and pulls you deeper with its riveting emotional drama throughout. It may take things a little too far off the ground in its latter stages, which hurts the pure power of it all, but with great directing and a collection of excellent performances, it proves a thoroughly engrossing and memorable watch regardless, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.7.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. Since January 1st, 2013, he has watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    7.1

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    5.3
    January 17, 2022

    3620. Friendzone (2021)

    7.1
    January 10, 2022

    3612. The Lost Daughter (2021)

    8.0
    January 7, 2022

    3609. Licorice Pizza (2021)

    7.2
    January 7, 2022

    3608. Lamb (2021)

    7.4
    December 30, 2021

    3599. The King’s Man (2021)

    6.3
    December 29, 2021

    3598. The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

    8.4
    December 28, 2021

    3597. West Side Story (2021)

    6.3
    December 27, 2021

    3596. Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

    Recommended Movies
    8.1
    Review
    August 17, 20210

    3448. Free Guy (2021)

    8.9
    Review
    April 2, 20150

    912. Wild Tales (2014)

    8.0
    Review
    July 1, 20210

    3397. The Family Fang (2017)

    8.1
    Review
    December 21, 20140

    790. The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)

    8.0
    Review
    April 1, 20170

    1710. Rhapsody In August (八月の狂詩曲) (1991)

    Popular Posts
    7.1
    January 24, 2022

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8
    January 23, 2022

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9
    January 22, 2022

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    7.4
    January 21, 2022

    3624. One Chance (2013)

    6.3
    January 20, 2022

    3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)

    7.5
    January 19, 2022

    3622. The Polka King (2017)

    6.0
    January 18, 2022

    3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)

    © 2022 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.