Drama Digest
It depicts the story of a group of two high school girls, 17-year-old Karin and her best friend, Fuko. They decided to stage events to encourage people to do good things hoping it would change the world. Their ideas were to set up a stunning camera in the town and transmitting it using SNS. They taped the faked events, and their post went viral. But she soon finds out that life is not so simple.
The Feel-Good part
The story is just like a typical adolescent story, consisting of crazy ideas and ending with a realization. If you are interested in teenage dramas, this could be a great choice.
The Disappointing Part
The story is ragged. By observation of social graces, “Pretenders” resembles a drunken brainstorming session and is weirdly compelling.
In-depth analysis
The two characters are Karin and Ono. In Karin’s case, a little japery allows her to repair some of the damage she’s done. Ono’s strident, clattering performance sets the tone for the film. She’s an intense character.
Star Power
Kumasaka’s script touches on some exciting themes — peer pressure, bystander apathy, and Japan-South Korea relations. The highlight of the story was Karin’s desperate, self-debasing response to a journalist threatening to expose her deception. And also as her emotional meltdown on the corner of Shibuya’s scramble crossing. It’s a scene so raw that you almost want to look away — or follow the example of the people sitting nearby and bury your head in your phone.
Overall Opinion
The film is said to be a mess. It mostly received recognition from the actors who drew most of the attention. Overall, it is a good-to-watch movie and does not require much investment.
