Gorgeous and epic, Kokuho is set in the world of Kabuki and the film makers revel in the pagentry and spectacle of it. Within that is the story of ambition and loss as we follow the life of a performer, Kikuo, as he moves from ingenue to celebrity to inheritor to disgrace to redemption and come back. It is a grand life story and operatic in style.
Its runtime is as grand as well but Kokuho manages to keep every moment vibrant so the time passes quickly. As a westerner I was worried about long Kabuki sequences but the director makes them riveting and powerful. It often felt like the opera scenes in a Godfather movie. It is no wonder why the films design, costumes, and make-up have received international attention.
The film's style is dramatic and emotional which sometimes felt a bit heavy handed. Yet it fits for this story so it's hard to fault it for that. It is about actors and their drama so the fact that they are overtly melodramatic felt authentic even if its not my preferred narrative style.
Kokuho, despite its runtime, begs to be seen on the big screen and it worth the time spent.
Kokuho
Starring: Ryo Yoshizawa, Ken Watanabe
Director: Lee Sang-il
Writer: Satoko Okudera
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