Movie "Kaneko Sashiireten" - The deep darkness of humanity and the difficulty of forgiveness that seeps out from the daily life of a prison supply shop -
"Kaneko Sashiireten" is a story that moves back and forth across the boundary between the ordinary and the extraordinary.
The protagonist, Shinji Kaneko, who runs a quiet business as a prison supply shop owner, is forced to confront fundamental human emotions through the murder of a girl close to him and his subsequent contact with the perpetrator.
The shock of an incident intruding into daily life
Kaneko's life begins with peaceful days alongside his wife, Miwako, his son, Kazuma, and his retired uncle, Hoshida.
However, his daily life is turned upside down when Kazuma's childhood friend, Karin, is murdered by a man with no connection to her.
Although the job of a prison supply shop owner is supposed to require "detached neutrality," his contact with the perpetrator, Kojima, violently shakes Kaneko's emotions, and the question, **"Why did you kill her?"** begins to nest in his heart.
The sense of distance from the perpetrator and wavering emotions
Kaneko accepts a request from Kojima's mother to provide supplies and read letters aloud.
There is a tension there where the professional line and personal feelings clash.
Anger at the perpetrator's abnormal attitude and confusion at his incomprehensible words and actions.
While trying to maintain the distance of a "professional," his heart is surely being dragged in.
A high school girl appearing as a third party
A turning point in the story is the appearance of a high school girl who seeks to meet the man who killed her mother.
Her presence symbolically depicts the pain of a victim's family and the resolve to face the perpetrator.
As the two incidents intersect, ripples spread to Kaneko's own past and his relationships with his family, andwhat it means to "forgive" and "understand"is explored more deeply.
Impressions and evaluation
"Kaneko Sashiireten" poses quiet but heavy questions to the viewer by carefully depicting the inner lives and relationships of the characters rather than relying on flashy direction.
The unfillable chasm lying between the victim, the perpetrator, and their families
The conflict between the facade of work and personal feelings
How do I face it when confronted with another person's crime?
It was a hard-boiled human drama that stayed in my heart long after I finished watching it.
I felt the power of the script, which makes you feel complex understanding for each position, not just for the protagonist.
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