Before we begin, dear reader, I feel a small sense of responsibility to give you a fair warning about this film that you may or may not be thinking about watching during the JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE 2022. This is not your everyday feel good movie. Yet, at the same time, it’s not a story of woe either. It is a message of hope that is paired with a message of despair. It is everything good about life and everything horrible about it. Every now and then, a film will come along that is perfectly balanced in every way and will leave you thinking long after the credits have stopped. Under the Open Sky, is that film.
On the face of it, Under the Open Sky tells the story of an ex-convict who tries to readjust to the outside world after being released from prison. Dig a little deeper, however, and you will find an incredible number of stories that reflect how we are as a society. I have to admit that it took me a couple of days after watching the film before I could actually put my thoughts and feelings about it into words. Writer/director Miwa Nishikawa left such an impact on me with this piece that I needed time to process everything that this movie is.
So here you have it. My attempt at putting down my thoughts, in as coherent a manner as I am capable.
You Can Run but You Can’t Hide
The narrative here centers on the struggle of former Yakuza member Misao Mikami (Kōji Yakusho) as he navigates his way in today’s world, after having spent 13 years in prison. From the moment he is released, he faces challenges with aspects of life that we simply take for granted: finding a home, an honest job, his next meal, all while still suffering a blood pressure condition which could end badly for him.
Now this, my fellow cinephiles, is where the reflections came in.
Our knee-jerk to judge those around us, without digging deeper, without knowing anything about who they are or what they’ve been through, has become a global pastime. It’s become a spectator sport. We take joy in other people’s misfortune. We like, and comment, and share their pain. It is something that rings true in Mikami’s journey in Under the Open Sky.
Every step of the way, he is constantly faced with rejection from the world simply by having the label “convict” thrust upon him. No matter how much he tries to change or reform his life, everyone he meets immediately looks down on him because of his past. It broke my heart. Because it was happening to him. And because it was happening to so many people all around us.
Life’s a Bitch and Then We Die
In one particular moment in the movie, Mukami is sat next to a BBQ pit with the two people who are documenting his life for a television programme. Their purpose is to educate viewers about the struggles of ex-convicts (which, let’s face it, is a reflection of what the entire movie is about). It’s then when one of them says: “Society today is extremely cruel to people who step off the path. One mistake and you’re essentially condemned.” It was a moment that hit way too close to home.
Why are we so cruel? Why are we so quick to turn our backs on people for one mistake? Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, depending on the severity of crime, but as a society that takes pride in helping those in need, why does there need to be a criteria of who we help? When a life in crime treats a man with more respect than his fellow countrymen and women do, you know something has gone disastrously wrong.
Be Kind, Rewind
But I digress. Actor Kōji Yakusho has delivered, in my opinion, an award-winning performance. Throughout his journey, you can feel every moment of joy and heartbreak that befalls him. So much so that you just want to reach through your screen and help the poor man (and scream at those who aren’t!). His weary face, holding back the tears caused by the injustice of the world, when all he wants is to move on with his life and become a new man, demonstrates a perfectly restrained performance.
There is still so much to say, but alas, I don’t know where to begin and when to stop. But if there’s one thing I can leave you with to encourage you to watch this film, it’s this. This is a story about humanity. A story about acceptance and rejection. How, at the end of the day, no matter how hopeless it may seem, no matter how insignificant you feel, each and every person has an impact, big and small, on their fellow human beings. Yes, we need to be responsible for our actions, but the world too needs to learn to be more forgiving. So be kind ladies and gentlemen. It doesn’t take much, but it makes the world of difference to those who need it.
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