Written by Aria Eyde. Graphic by Aria Eyde.
On Oct. 24, “Look Back” played at the Lucas theater midday, and left much of the theater crying in the sunny afternoon. The story is beautiful, but it has been told twice before: first as a graphic novel released in 2021, then as an animated film released in 2024. Is the live action worth it if you already know the story?
The film is directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, a Japanese filmmaker known for the films “Nobody Knows” and “Monster.” His work centers unconventional families, childhood memories, and the disposition between life and death. Kore-eda’s cinematography is always remarkably tender, and it is the most compelling reason to watch this film.
The film follows Fujino and Kyomoto, elementary schoolers who quickly bond over their shared love for art. Fujino is popular and confident, while Kyomoto is shy and withdrawn. Once the girls meet, they spend most nights together, creating a graphic novel in Fujino’s bedroom. The story itself starts simple but unfolds into something else entirely as time passes.
When a story has both an animated and live-action version, the live-action tends to have a bad reputation. Anyone who has seen the animated version of “Look Back” was likely comparing it with the live action while watching, but both mediums capture something that the other can’t. The animated version is colorful and imaginative, while the live-action feels grounded in reality.
Kore-eda’s films are worlds that exist and live on their own. While watching, nothing feels like a film set, or produced in a studio; everything looks like it’s been lived in. Homes are cluttered, messy, and full of personality. The interiors are full of dim, yellow-green hues that feel warm and nostalgic. Scenes outside are expansive, zooming out to capture the landscape of rural Japan.
The seasons change, the girls keep getting older, they keep drawing in Fujino’s room. The seasons immerse the viewer in the passage of time. In summer, it’s all cicada song behind the ink scratching on paper; in winter, it seems something is quieter against the snowy landscape.
“Look Back” is a tender glimpse into the friendship of two girls, how they age, and what they lose. Then, it rewinds their time together and asks: what if we never met? While the story has been told before, the live-action stands on its own. The immersion reminds the viewer what it feels like to be alive, to watch the seasons change, to learn that you love something. Isn’t that what movies are for?
