Seeing Daihachi Yoshida's "The Scythian Lamb" for the second time at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, I was reminded of "Black Mirror," the British series with provocative "what if" scenarios set in an alternative present or near future. Yes, I am a binge-watcher.
Not that the film's provincial seaport is a "Black Mirror"-esque dystopia: As young city bureaucrat Hajime Tsukisue (Ryo Nishikido) keeps reminding us, the people are friendly and the seafood is delicious. But his boss tells him that the town's population is declining and fresh blood is needed. His bizarre solution: Secretly bring in six convicted murderers and parole them for a period of 10 years. If they stay clean they will be permanently freed.
Based on a manga by Tatsuhiko Yamagami and Mikio Igarashi, this "what if" is a set-up for black comedy. But Yoshida, whose films seldom obey genre rules, stirs in elements of thriller, social drama and even kaijū (monster) action. Credulity is sometimes strained and the murderers' stories are not equally engaging, but the film goes unblinkingly into the darkness.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.