Suzume no Tojimari

Synopsis

Suzume is a high school girl living with her aunt in southern Japan. She meets Souta, a young man looking for ruins in the area, and follows him to a freestanding door in the ruins of a hot springs resort. Upon opening the door, Suzume discovers another world filled with eldritch, disaster-causing forces eager to escape. Souta is turned into a chair by a talking cat named Daijin, leaving Suzume to travel across Japan, closing doors and preventing disasters as they chase Daijin to get Souta's body back. Suzume is a survivor of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, and her journey serves as a way to overcome her trauma while she connects with Souta.

Review

Suzume no Tojimari is an emotionally-driven film that follows a predictable three-act structure used in the director's previous films. The first act introduces the supernatural and is filled with lighthearted comedy. In the second act, a significant threat is revealed and seemingly resolved. The third act deals with the unforeseen consequences and revelations of the second act, with the hero fighting to regain what has been lost.

While the film's structure is predictable, it has a major departure from the director's previous works in the form of an actual villain. Daijin, the talking cat, serves as the antagonist, mystery, and goal of the plot. Its presence adds an extra layer of focus to the story, keeping it moving whenever things slow down.

The visuals are stunning, with a brilliant use of light and color, especially in the world beyond the door. However, the eldritch entity Suzume encounters in Tokyo looks fake in wide shots, detracting from an important emotional moment.

Thematically, the film explores coming to terms with loss and learning to let people in. Suzume's character arc serves as a way to overcome her trauma while connecting with total strangers. Overall, Suzume no Tojimari is a fantastic film with great characters, targeted to make you laugh and cry.