In The Wake

The new Zeze is pretty much what I expected from it. He's been doing these gritty thrillers with strong dramatic foundations for a while now, and In The Wake perfectly fits in with his more recent efforts. Combining the aftermath of the tsunami with a police investigation, it's another worthy addition to Zeze's oeuvre.

After the tsunami hit a small seaside town, three people find comfort in each other's company. Times are tough, and they get separated, but eleven years later fate brings them back together. A police investigation is launched when two corpses are found, tied up and starved to death. The suspect is Yasuhisa, one of the three.

The performances are very solid, Zeze has the gritty look down and the police procedural elements flow well with the drama. Of course there's a little social commentary too (this time focusing on Japan's poor welfare system), but that's just par for the course. Nothing too exceptional, but good, quality film making from one of Japan's more interesting directors.