Hitsuji no ki (2017)

Hitsuji no ki: Directed by Daihachi Yoshida. With Ryô Nishikido, Fumino Kimura, Kazuki Kitamura, Yûka. Suffering from population decline, the small seaside town of Uobuka decides to welcome 6 strangers into the community. A malevolent fishing boat operator (Kazuki Kitamura), a sexy caregiver, a frightening launderer, a timid barber, a methodical cleaning woman (Mikako Ichikawa), and a simple-minded deliveryman (Ryuhei Matsuda) are all brought together by this mysterious government-sponsored program. Even Tsukisue, the young city official put in charge of the program, has no idea why they’ve been brought to town. But when the truth comes out about the six strangers’ mysterious past and a body is discovered in the harbor, Tsukisue begins to suspect the motley crew of foul play. Part black comedy, part murder mystery thriller the latest from director Daihachi Yoshida perfectly blends humor and suspense.

“The film, on the surface, appears to be an ordinary Good and Evil story, and thatu0026#39;s how it actually ends. However, if you think about it a step further, you can see that the boundary between sinners and non-sinners in this film is blurred. Also, looking at the symbols that the movie constantly provides as hints, pictures of u0026quot;sheep hanging on the treeu0026quot;. It makes you question whether the person who fell off the cliff died because he was a real sinner or was simply a scapegoat who was pushed off the cliff.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnd the answer to that question is in the movie. The god u0026quot;Nororou0026quot; in the movie is not a good god who punishes evil. He is just an evil god who eats the scapegoat thrown by the villagers. The director has already hinted that the character thrown into the sea is close to the scapegoat.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn conclusion, this film is about the scapegoat mechanism. And it send the message in a way that deceives the audience. Just as the real society falls into the illusion that the problem has been solved by executing the scapegoat, it makes the audience to experience the same illusion by allowing the most suspicious person to be executed. I donu0026#39;t know if this is the directoru0026#39;s intention, but at least it is the interpretation of the symbols in the movie.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI think itu0026#39;s a great movie that tricks the audience nicely by hiding this theme in the cliché, so itu0026#39;s appropriate to give it a full score.”