Summary

“Monster” is a follow-up to director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s critically acclaimed “Shoplifters”, and it lives up to the high expectations with its exceptional filmmaking. The film seamlessly blends different genres, creating a captivating and mysterious storyline that keeps viewers engaged from start to finish. The performances in “Monster” are outstanding, particularly Sakura Ando’s portrayal of a single mother who balances love, loss, and the secrets that bind her family together.

2018’s Shoplifters brought the work of director Hirokazu Kore-eda to a larger audience with his Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination. His hotly anticipated follow-up, Monster, sees him leave the writing to screenwriter Yûji Sakamoto (We Made a Beautiful Bouquet) and focus on directing. The result is another phenomenal work of art. From cinematography to performances to the score, Monster is as relentless with its pursuit of perfect filmmaking as it is with its desire to keep the viewer at arm’s length from what is really going on.

When Saori (Sakura Ando) realizes the change in her son Minato (Soya Kurokawa), she confronts him. He admits there was an incident at school, and the school is happy to apologize but is almost outwardly combative to Saori’s questioning. Since Minato is also not willing to explain any specifics, Saori gets more and more frustrated. When the teacher closest to the incident tries to explain his point of view, his life is changed in an instant. Meanwhile, in the classroom, Minato tries to hold on to what is left of his reputation at school and his secret.

The magic of Monster is the way the script subtly shifts genre, leaving us in a totally different headspace from opening to closing credits. The film plays out in three parts — a mystery, a character study, and a child drama. Sakamoto’s brilliance is in how all three are happening simultaneously. The film clocks in at a little over two hours but feels longer. The only downside of the film’s unconventional storytelling is how much patience it asks of us by redefining where and what the climax of a film is. The film is dedicated to legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (The Revenant), who passed away in March of this year — he is essential to the soul of Monster. The sweeping score utilizes itself to transport the viewer into a world of confusion but to the tune of a graceful piano and sharp strings that pierce through the screen.

Monster is a film about secrets and why we keep them. It is difficult to speak on those secrets without spoiling the film, but one aspect of the filmmaking becomes apparent very quickly. You are seeing a story told in order but from different perspectives. So even when you think you understand the concepts being stitched together throughout Monster, when the unconventional presentation of these concepts becomes clear you are back to square one, but this time with all the information about the character you just left and a mountain of preconceived notions about the character you are about to meet. That dichotomy brings Monster to life in a way that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The performances in Monster all offer something unique. Ando’s character (Love Exposure) is not a stereotype of a single mother. She plays the role with so much love for life that even when her late husband is brought up in front of her son she makes sure he at least tries to find solace in the fact that he knew his father and is still very much loved by his mother. Kurokawa’s Minato is shot in such a way that we often do not see his face head-on in the first act of the film. It’s a great choice for a character who is holding all the answers to the plot but has no interest in revealing them. Kurokawa plays a brooding and complicated child but is so likable that you are constantly reminded he is just a kid and the world is happening to him. His ability to have agency over that evolves day by day.

Monster is many kinds of stories all at once and both the direction and script make sure that it is all in service of making the best film possible. The choices made by Kore-eda are sure to garner more attention from Western audiences and hopefully the world at large. At its root, Monster is about a mother, a son, and a school, and the dynamic between the three is unnerving in the best possible way.

Monster screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is 126 minutes long and rated PG-13 for thematic material and brief suggestive material.