Barren Illusion (2002)

Synopsis: In this spare, meditative film, prolific director and screenwriter Kiyoshi Kurosawa turns his sights to the love story, with uniquely remarkable results. Shot on a very small budget with students... In this spare, meditative film, prolific director and screenwriter Kiyoshi Kurosawa turns his sights to the love story, with uniquely remarkable results. Shot on a very small budget with students at the Film School of Tokyo, BARREN ILLUSION focuses on a young couple, Haru and Michi (Shinji Takeda and Miako Tadano, respectively), and their strained but caring relationship. Haru, a laconic music producer, literally verges on fading into thin air and longs to be part of a gang; while his girlfriend, Michi, is a petite postal worker who dreams of fleeing her dull job and travelling far away. Unfortunately, attempts to improve their lives, such as getting a dog and volunteering to test an experimental anti-pollen drug, only prove to complicate things further. As with most of Kurosawa's films, this tale is set against a bleak industrial backdrop and offers no concrete explanations for any of the characters' actions. In fact, it's almost impossible to distinguish whether some scenes are real or simply daydreams. And adding to the movie's pensive, deliberate tone are long shots by the largely static camera and the soundtrack, which features incidental on-screen noise and sparse dialogue instead of music. In spite of its near silence and slow pace, BARREN ILLUSION manages to remain engaging thanks to the subtle acting of its cast and the immensely inventive vision of its filmmaker. [More]

Starring: Shinji Takeda, Miako Tadano

Starring: Shinji Takeda, Miako Tadano

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Screenwriter: Kiyoshi Kurosawa

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