In this day and age when it seems as though artists and other creatives are being shoved down in the wake of AI, the live action adaptation of Look Back from director Hirokazu Kore-eda serves as a positive reminder of the value of human creativity in all art forms.
Look Back
Despite being someone who has read the one-shot and seen the animated adaptation, Kore-eda’s live action film seemed to invoke a more personal and bittersweet feeling that the source material and the animated adaptation didn’t have. Watching a young Fujino (Furi Nanase) navigate these feelings of inadequacy and jealousy due to young Kyomoto’s (Rokka Okada) more advanced art skills was a wonder to watch on the big screen.
As the girls grow up, their ideals change. An older Fujino (Natsuki Deguchi) wants to continue with creating manga while Kyomoto (Aju Makita) wants to hone her own skills and head to art school. The girls eventually go their own separate ways, however art continues to be the driving force that brings them together once again.
The music by Yuta Bandoh really seemed to tie in the entire film in my personal opinion. The gentle piano tones combined with the change in seasons and beautiful cinematography truly made these characters feel alive.
By the end of the film I was filled with this overwhelming sadness, yet indescribable urge to create. While this is the first film I’ve seen from Kore-eda, I can easily see why people praise his work so highly. The ability to take an already raw story and make it their own is an incredible feat in itself and I cannot wait to rewatch the film in theaters again and again.
Fans of the original one-shot and the animated film will be blown away by the vulnerability of Kore-eda’s version; from the cinematography of the changing seasons, the actresses giving their all in providing a beautiful story, and of the artwork shown throughout the film as we watch Fujino and Kyomoto navigate their lives. This film, like its previous successor and the source material it bases itself off of, continues to be nothing short of a love story to the creation of art.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s 2021 one-shot reminded us to keep creating. To stare down the face of jealousy and envy to create something bigger than we thought possible.
Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s 2024 animated adaptation reminded us to keep dreaming. To pursue our passions and conquer our goals no matter the odds.
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s adaptation reminded us to keep living. To take each day as a new, to be human. To create art and take in the world even in the face of new struggles. Kore-eda’s film reminded me that an artist’s journey is tireless and, in turn, that being human is tireless. Yet we all must fight the urge to look back and instead look forward to another day to create more and more memories.
