Bone House Asia
R1 DVD
Late
Bloomer is a very different sort of film; on so many levels it defies the
conventions of both filmmaking in general and horror to be specific. While it
could be placed within the serial killer genre, it is made with an exceptionally
naturalistic style. There are no refined camera angles, horror music, jumps or
shocks, simply the real life of a disabled man who can no longer cope with his
existence.
Like
any other human being he craves intimacy but when it cannot be fulfilled his
jealousies lead to the abuse of alcohol and finally to much worse. It would
have been way too easy for such a film to become exploitative, but it doesn’t. It
portrays his struggles in a sympathetic manner, even when his experiences lead
to violence and murder. It seems so honest and intimate and that’s what makes
the film so much more confronting.
Sumida
is a severely handicapped man who can only communicate through an electronic
device. He has severely limited mobility and travels via an electric
wheelchair. He must rely on others for his daily survival and has various
helpers who come in and prepare food, help with cleaning and so on.
His
life is one of dissatisfaction, he spends most of his time collecting toys,
listening to music and getting drunk. The alcohol hides his alienation for the
world around him; he has lots of helpers but no one who actually “reaches” him.
Sumida
gets a new helper called Nobuko. She has taken the job as part of her thesis
and hence her motives are in question. She seems far more interested in
documenting his life and photographing him than really helping him. He becomes
obsessed with her and propositions her, she not only refuses but he notes she
is spending a lot of time with another helped called Take. He becomes more and
more enraged; it is as though her actions are a catalyst for all his fury
against the world.
Sumida
finds an outlet for his fury. He goes out at night and randomly stabs people.
He finds it much easier than he first thought as people do not suspect that
such a profoundly disabled person could commit such acts of violence and he
continues to vent his hatred of the world unchallenged.
What
is so remarkable about Late Bloomer is that Sumida is played by a real life
disabled person with cerebral palsy (also called Sumida) and hence there is an
air of authenticity that could not have been portrayed otherwise. The film has
been shot in black and white and has a strange “home video” feel; it is as
though we are watching Sumida’s life through his private diary, experiencing
his dissatisfaction with the his life and the world.
This
is a difficult film- artistic, reflective and unusual. While it certainly is a
serial killer film, it is naturalistic in its presentation and acting and
relies on a mixture of character development and mood to communicate. It is
very different from anything seen in the genre before and an intriguing
experience.
This review will appear in Volume 2 No.2
(2009) of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.
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