Orokamono no Mibun/Baka's Identity: A somewhat bleak, yet enjoyable crime thriller.

 

It's always nice to be pleasantly surprised by a movie from which you had very little to no expectations of. Such was the case when I recently sat down to watch the movie adaptation of Jun Nishio's 2019 novel, Orokamono no Mibun, otherwise known as Baka's Identity. Admittedly, I hadn't seen much of director Koto Nagata's previous work and as such, went in not knowing what to expect. What I did know was that two of the cast were the always great Go Ayano and Takumi Kitamura. The two had been a part of the enjoyable Yu Yu Yakusho live-action adaptation and it was fun to know that they were sharing the screen again, this time in a movie. 

Takuya Matsumoto and Mamoru Kakizaki are a couple of young swindlers. They seek out lonely, vulnerable men, posing as young ladies on social media platforms and connect with them. They do this via a collection of cell phones, each one for a different identity which they use to respond to each victim with a carefully crafted sweet-talking message, tricking the men into believing that they are talking to a young woman. This leads to them bringing in their female associate, Kisara. Kisara essentially helps seal the deal and that ends with the lonely men selling away their identities. Mamoru seems genuinely happy to be tasked with taking on more responsibilities by Takuya, but unbeknownst to the young man, there are darker reasons for the latter putting more on the former's shoulders. 

As I stated at the start of this blog post, I was not overtly familiar with much of director Koto Nagata's work prior to Baka's Identity/Orokamono no Mibun. After having seen the movie, I think she did a fabulous job overall. I'm not the biggest fan of shaky cam, it annoys me when it's overdone as it can ruin the viewing experience. However, Nagata manages to strike the right balance, utilising the motion of the camera to enhance the emotional impact of certain scenes and it also works as to emphasise the fact that the swindling activities are ones that are done discreetly and away from the eyes of the public. Of course, there are several static shots which offset the shaky cam footage somewhat. Accompanying the cinematography is some excellent sound design. There were plenty of times throughout the movie where the sounds were ominous and rather gripping in a threatening manner, really setting up the narrative's growing sense of danger.

There's a scene early on in which Mamoru is warned about getting in too deep with the swindling by the bartender of the bar which he and Takuya frequent. He is told that before he knows it, it will be impossible to get out. It's rather poignant scene which foreshadows what is to eventually come later on in the movie. It also helps fuel the slowly-building tension which is beautifully built up over the course of the run-time. Not to mention, Mamoru glancing out of the window of the apartment, only to discover a man dressed like a member of the Yakuza staking the place out helping to shape his paranoia. After that, there's a brilliant scene in which Mamoru confronts Takuya after he witnesses him discreetly meeting his senior. 

The plot unfolds in a delightfully non-chronological manner. We see certain scenes more than once and from differing perspectives. This type of thing doesn't always work out, but in this case, I believe that it does. We learn the motives behind certain actions taken by the central characters with not everything being what they seem. This also gives the movie more of a character-study type of feel, as it showcases the lives of young men who were poor and their subsequent fall into the unforgiving criminal underworld as well as its' impact on them. 

There's not a lot of gore, but what's there is handled really well. Some rather unsubtle, yet wonderful foreshadowing underscores the biggest and most brutal instance. I love a good setup and pay-off when it's done well and this definitely was just that. 

There is one scene really that could be described as a fight scene. That being said, it might be more appropriately labelled a confrontation as two men on the run are confronted by antagonists that have tracked them down. It's a rather messy affair and brutal, unlike most overly choreographed fights. 

Takumi Kitamura does a splendid job in the role of Takuya Matsumoto. I feel like he excels in likable roles where the character is in over his head judging from what I've seen of him and this was no exception. I did appreciate him going for something of a lesser hero role though with him portraying a swindler. That being said, he's a young man wrapped with guilt for what he has done and struggles  with the life. There were some scenes in the latter half in which he really shone through with emotion, making a real impression on me. He had tremendous chemistry with Go Ayano and the scenes with the dup were probably my favourites. 

Yuta Hayashi impressed me as well. Being the youngest of the main trio, he had a lot on his shoulders and I think he was more than up to the task. He's the youngster with a heart that looks up to Takuya as one would an older brother and is emotionally devastated by the end of the movie. It's little wonder that Hayashi won awards for Best Newcomer. 

I don't think I need to really state that Go Ayano was brilliant. He always is, no matter what he shows up in. I could feel the conflict in his character when Kajitani is forced to make a tough decision and is eventually led by his guilt, which in turn reveals that he's not a bad guy. His scenes in the latter half of the movie are amongst the most emotionally impactful due to his range of expression. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Orokamono/Baka's Identity. It's a really solid movie that features a great cast and a gripping, engaging story. I'd highly recommend it to fans of crime thrillers or those who like a good character study, particularly focused on youth and the criminal underworld. Also, it's a fun pick for fans of Takumi Kitamura or Go Ayano.