Mysterious and deeply moving, Monster is a breathtaking piece of cinema from master director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Broker, Shoplifters).

When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, single mother Saori knows that there is something wrong. Discovering that one of his teachers might be responsible, she storms into the school demanding answers. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher and child, shocking truths begin to emerge.

A timely tale of family, false impressions, and, ultimately, hope, Kore-eda’s typically sensitive work features powerful performances by Ando Sakura, Tanaka Yuko and Nagayama Eita, and a sublime score from the Oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.

The Garden Cinema View:

Tired, perhaps, of endless comparisons to Yasujiro Ozu, Koreeda decides to throw in with Akira Kurosawa with this spin on the triadic structure of Rashomon. But rather than three competing ‘truths’, Monster presents an increasingly rich story with each additional narrative layer. A single mother worries about her son’s erratic behaviour, a young teacher deals with escalating school politics, and two young boys navigate the pitfalls of friendship and bullying. Whilst the adult perspectives form the foundation for the young characters’ point of view, it is not surprising that in the hands of the greatest director of children of all time (see Shoplifters, Nobody Knows, I Wish, and more), the final section contains the most poignant imagery and catharsis.

Monster also marks the great Ryuichi Sakamoto’s last film score contribution (Sakamoto died two months prior to the Cannes premiere). Koreeda’s sensitive use of old and new pieces provides his own deeply moving tribute to the late master.    

Cast:
Soya Kurokawa, Hinata Hiiragi, Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama