he final Kermode introduces of the year is upon us. I have really enjoyed doing the past few months. It has allowed me to open my eyes to new films that I would maybe have never given a go, while also ‘forcing’ me to watch films I have been wanting to watch or ages as well as giving me the opportunity to rewatch films I have not seen for a while. The fact that I have at least liked all of the films Mark has picked is just an added bonus. And so, I had very high hopes going into the final film of the year, ‘Harmonium’ (2016). Also, the fact that is a Japanese film means it had a leg up right from the start. Now, before I get into this film in any way shape of film, I want you to stop and consider whether you will want to read on. I won’t be spoiling any plot points to the film, but I think this is a film which is at its most effective if you go in completely blind. So yes, I am asking you to stop reading now, watch the film, and then come back. Anyway, on with the review. Toshio (Kanji Furutachi), is a metalworker who one day hires his old acquaintance, Yasaka (Tadanobu Asano), and allows him to stay in his family home with him, his wife Akie (Mariko Tsutsui) and Hotaru (Momone Shinokawa/Kana Mahiro). His initial presence in the home is mysterious, and it soon starts to disrupt and unravel the lives of the family.
This is a slow burn film, and we will get onto more of how that works for the narrative later, but this is also achieved through how the film is shot. I would be very interested to go back and see how many cuts there are I the film because I don’t think it will be all that many. There are so many long takes throughout the film, but not in the way where you are seeing the camera move with the characters without cutting. Instead, the camera is completely stationary, and we just watch the characters interacting with each other, with characters even leaving and returning to the frame before we are afforded a cut. This gives a sense of stagnation to the family dynamic in the film but also helps to build the underlying tension that is constant throughout the film. It isn’t so much a tension where you have a horrible feeling in your gut, it is more subtle than that and in a way that makes it more sinister. All of this is helped by the performances throughout the film which are all great. Everyone portrays their characters brilliantly and feel like real characters with real emotions and they manage to really hook you into the narrative brilliantly. Mariko Tsutsui is the real standout through all of this. He performance is both charming and heartbreaking and it is her that you come away from the film remembering. It is also a great looking film. The cinematography and composition of shots throughout is superb and you get some shots that are understated yet beautiful.
I think that the pace of this film will lead to some people to think that it is boring. It is a real slow burn, especially for the first hour where the groundwork is effectively being laid for what is to come later in the film. I will admit I found myself thinking that the film was going to focus on being a standard familial drama with a focus on a love triangle of sorts and was half prepping myself for what I thought would b a bit of a slog. But if you stick with it this film is more than rewarding, for after that slow burn of a first hours comes the films turning point. Don’t get me wrong, the pace doesn’t exactly go into overdrive. The film still takes its time. But the defining act of the film brings an entirely different mood and atmosphere to the film. It is depressing, and heartbreaking, and utterly gripping, especially the final twenty minutes or so where I was just glued. The two halves of the film almost match the lives of the family we are following. The first half is a little monotonous and repetitive with the second half being very hard to watch. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing easy about watching this film. It is heavy and somewhat devastating, but it is also definitely worth your time.
It looked for a little while that ‘Harmonium’ was going to be the first film Mark had picked for one of these reviews that I wasn’t going to enjoy. Despite the brilliant performances and how great the film looked, but the pace of the film was losing me a little bit. But I am so glad I stuck with it and by the end, I found it one of the more engaging and heart-breaking films I have seen in a long time. Like I have already mentioned, I think the pace of the film is going to be a turn off for some people, but I can’t not recommend it based on that. If you can get past the slower pace you have a truly engaging film with an interesting take on the family dynamic that is prevalent is a lot of Japanese films.
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