Movie Digest
The story revolves around Ryoko, a single mother who lives with her son and her father-in-law. She lost her husband Yoichi in a car accident and had not received any compensation for his death, which led her to take up multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. The movie showcases her struggle during the covid-19 pandemic and also his son, who recently has been a victim of bullying.
The Feel-Good Part
Directed by Yuya Ishii, one of the most refined directors in Japan, this movie has excellent cinematography, good direction, and exploring dark societal subjects. The film depicts the real side of a society of a family who faces the consequences of the injustice inflicted on them and how they cope and live with it. I felt Ryoko be relatively calm and stoic; even after so much unfortunate things she had to face, she never lost her temper and just went on with it accepting her fate. She rarely questioned the wrongdoings she had to bear. It’s commendable how the movie depicts strong emotions of helplessness which can be perceived through the screen and hence has this powerful impact on the viewers.
The Disappointing Factor
A madder red for some viewers could feel overly long, and tedious. There are some scenes in the movie that were unnecessary and it lags for some apparent reason and feels sloppy at times.
In-Depth Analysis
The story brings the accurate and raw depiction of the hardships of a single mother, her son, and her father-in-law, and how their lives drastically (especially financially) changed after the death of Youshi, Ryoko’s husband. A madder red touches on some serious social issues like bullying, the financial crisis, which led Ryoko to choose prostitution, and the injustice and unfairness which lurks in the society, which is quite a heartbreaking to watch.
Star Power
Despite the movie being overly long and a bit off at some parts, Machiko Ono’s (Ryoko) acting is what keeps the movie’s spirit alive and rhythm together. Her portrayal as a single mother and conveying such strong emotions is painful to see, which makes her character empathize.
Overall Opinion
Machiko Ono’s role and her impact in this movie are quite decisive, which makes it worth a watch and has a lot of realism to it.
