Directed by Koto Nagata, Baka’s identity was one of the most interesting concepts in a plot that I have ever seen. The story revolves around Mamoru (played by Yuta Hayashi and Takuya (played by Takumi Kitamura) juggling various identities and talking as women online in order to scam lonely men of their identities. This is a clear case of stolen identity that these men have. Mind you, they are both young, one a teenager and the other a 20-year-old. They undertake multiple identities and fake texts to lure them; of course, meeting them isn’t possible, so part gets skipped for obvious reasons. But things aren’t as simple and easy as they look at first glance. When Mamoru meets Takuya, he learns new things about the crime since Takuya has been in the game before Mamoru. This leads to them forming a close bond. The movie also introduces us to Kajitani, an older criminal who once mentored Takuya and got him into the world of fraud. Now these men form a trio amongst themselves, which also gives us a glimpse of the unresolved trauma they share. Coming back to their business, one of their female associates is named Kisara. Kisara meets those men and takes their IDs, which will later be used for fraudulent purposes. Things go out of hand when the so-called company gets its hands on a hundred million yen, which is illegal and belongs to their boss Sato’s superior Jogi. Upon learning what happened, Jogi becomes mad (figuratively), and Sato ends up shifting the blame to Jogi and Mamoru. Kajitani, aka Ken, is deployed in order to execute the punishment that will be given to Takuya. But for him, this isn’t an easy job to do. That is because he takes Takuya as his younger brother. And no one wants to kill their younger brother. The relationship can be understood by the way it is with Mamoru. For Mamoru, Takuya is like an older brother, too. So now the question: how will these boys escape from the crime they didn’t really commit?
I loved the themes explored here. For example, we are shown the inner world of Japan, which is generally hidden from the rest of the world. By choosing young people as leads, Koto Nagata has told us what the socioeconomic scene is for the younger generation who are battling financial poverty. Other than the amount of mental tension these people get from getting into crimes like these, it is also shown in great depth. Making this movie was an intentional decision, given the amount of research that has gone into it. You will be left with many questions in mind once the movie approaches its end, but you won't find those answers easily, because just like life, the makers have ensured that they leave us guessing what can happen in the future to the characters at hand.
The acting is very powerful. We can see how beautifully the character development takes place by the way these men do their acting. That is one of the strongest factors of the movie apart from the plot. For those of you who love watching crime, this can be a new watch. The idea is fresh and an eye open for us. With good pacing, no moment feels boring, and that adds up well to the gripping plot. It is emotional and also gives you enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Final Score- [8/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
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Publisher at Midgard Times